Investing.com - European stocks open mixed on Friday, as investors remained cautious after a terrorist attack in Paris killed one person late Thursday and ahead of a string of euro zone data due later Friday and the highly anticipated first round in the French presidential election on Sunday.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.19%, France’s CAC 40 slid 0.37%, while Germany’s DAX 30 edged up 0.09%.
A French policeman was shot dead and two others were wounded in central Paris on Thursday night in an attack claimed by the Islamic State militant group.
Market participants were eyeing the first round of the French presidential election due on Sunday, as recent polls have forecast the most likely outcome to be centrist Emmanuel Macron against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.
Earlier Friday, research group Markit said Germany’s flash manufacturing purchasing managers’ index slipped to 58.2 in April from 58.3 the previous month, beating expectations for a decline to 58.0.
The flash services PMI fell to 54.7 this month from 55.6 in March, compared to expectations for a reading of 55.5.
Financial stocks were mixed, as Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) gained 0.33% and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) slid 0.21% in France, while Germany’s Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) and Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) lost 0.21% and 0.54%.
Among peripheral lenders, Unicredit (MI:CRDI) surged 2.38% and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) fell 0.25% in Italy, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) advanced 0.32% and 0.67% respectively.
Michelin (PA:MICP) saw shares rise 0.35% after the company announced a 9.9% increase in first-quarter revenue, helped by European auto-market growth and a rise in demand for outsize mining tyres.
Elsewhere, Thyssenkrupp AG O.N. (DE:TKAG) rallied 1.51% following reports earlier in the week that Tata Steel is continuing talks with its rival about a potential merger despite fears it could lead to job losses.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 eased up 0.09%, helped by sharp gains in the mining sector.
Shares in Anglo American (LON:AAL) jumped 1.72% and BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) rallied 1.83%, while Glencore (LON:GLEN) advanced 1.85% and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) surged 2.87%.
Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LON:MKS) was also one of the top performers on the index, with shares up 2.46% after the group named six stores which will close as part of chief executive Steve Rowe's plans to improve the business.
Financial stocks added to gains, as the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) added 0.13% and HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) rose 0.23%, while Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) gained 0.33%. Barclays (LON:BARC) underperformed however, with shares sliding 0.34%.
On the downside, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC (LON:RB) tumbled 1.90% after the consumer goodds company said like-for-like sales were stagnant at £2.64 billion in the first quarter, while sales climbed 15%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.01% uptick, S&P 500 futures showed a 0.10% gain, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.16% rise.