The pan-European Stoxx 600 was trading 0.6% higher at 8:45 a.m. in London, with nearly all sectors and major bourses in positive territory. Technology stocks led the gains, up 1.3%, while the European banking index fell 0.2%. The regional index snapped a four-session losing streak on Thursday and closed about 0.5% higher. Data released Friday showed Germany's economy grew a modest 0.1% in the third quarter from the previous three months — lower than a preliminary reading of 0.2% for the period. In the U.K., the pound fell to a six-month low against the U.S. dollar following data on U.K....
The S&P 500 and the Dow hovered at levels seen more than a week ago on Friday, as investors took comfort from data pointing to robust economic activity in the world's biggest economy. The domestically focused small-cap Russell 2000 index,outperformed large-cap indexes with a 1.3% rise. The index hit a more than one-week high and was set for weekly advances of nearly 4%. A measure of business activity raced to a 31-month high in November, boosted by hopes for lower interest rates and more business-friendly policies from President-elect Donald Trump's administration next year. At 11:29...
European stocks closed higher on Friday, as investors reviewed weak economic indicators from across the region which built expectations for central bank rate cuts. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed 1.18% higher, with all sectors except banks ending in positive territory. Health care and retail stocks led the gains, both up over 2%, while Europe's banking index slipped 2%. In the U.K., the pound fell to a six-month low against the U.S. dollar following U.K. retail sales data. The country's Office for National Statistics said that retail sales volumes lost 0.7%...