Investing.com - European stocks were higher on Friday, after the release of positive economic reports out of Germany and France, while comments by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi earlier in the week continued to support.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 edged up 0.22%, France’s CAC 40 inched 0.01% higher, while Germany’s DAX 30 added 0.13%.
Official data earlier showed that German retail sales rose 0.8% in May, beating expectations for a 0.2% gain, after a 0.1% fall the previous month.
In France, official data showed that consumer spending rose 0.5% in May, confounding expectations for a 0.1% fall, after a 0.5% decline the previous month.
Stocks also remained supported after ECB President Draghi said Wednesday that monetary policy will remain accommodative for the foreseeable future.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale climbed 0.45% and 0.33%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank advanced 0.67%.
Peripheral lenders added to gains, with Spanish banks BBVA and Banco Santander rose 0.31% and 1.21% respectively, while Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit added 0.16% and 0.43%.
In London, FTSE 100 gained 0.26%, as U.K. lenders tracked their European counterparts higher.
Shares in Barclays climbed 0.45% and HSBC Holdings advanced 0.48%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking rallied 0.60% and 0.91%.
Meanwhile, mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton gained 0.56% and 0.91% respectively, while Anglo American jumped 0.77%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.31% gain, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.34% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.31% rise.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release a report on manufacturing activity in Chicago and revised data from the University of Michigan on consumer sentiment.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 edged up 0.22%, France’s CAC 40 inched 0.01% higher, while Germany’s DAX 30 added 0.13%.
Official data earlier showed that German retail sales rose 0.8% in May, beating expectations for a 0.2% gain, after a 0.1% fall the previous month.
In France, official data showed that consumer spending rose 0.5% in May, confounding expectations for a 0.1% fall, after a 0.5% decline the previous month.
Stocks also remained supported after ECB President Draghi said Wednesday that monetary policy will remain accommodative for the foreseeable future.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale climbed 0.45% and 0.33%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank advanced 0.67%.
Peripheral lenders added to gains, with Spanish banks BBVA and Banco Santander rose 0.31% and 1.21% respectively, while Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit added 0.16% and 0.43%.
In London, FTSE 100 gained 0.26%, as U.K. lenders tracked their European counterparts higher.
Shares in Barclays climbed 0.45% and HSBC Holdings advanced 0.48%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking rallied 0.60% and 0.91%.
Meanwhile, mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton gained 0.56% and 0.91% respectively, while Anglo American jumped 0.77%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.31% gain, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.34% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.31% rise.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release a report on manufacturing activity in Chicago and revised data from the University of Michigan on consumer sentiment.