Investing.com - European stocks were higher on Friday, as positive industrial production reports from France and Spain supported market sentiment.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.23%, France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.17%, while Germany’s DAX 30 gained 0.45%.
Data earlier showed that French industrial production was flat in February, confounding expectations for a 0.1% downtick. January's figure was revised to a 0.3% rise from a previously estimated increase of 0.4%.
A separate report showed that Spain's industrial production increased at an annualized rate of 0.6% in February after a 0.1% gain in January, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 0.4% rise.
Financial stocks were lower, as French lenders Societe Generale (PARIS:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) lost 0.08% and 0.76%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (XETRA:CBKG) eased 0.03% and 0.08%.
Deutsche Bank was reportedly close to resolving an interest-rate manipulation probe by U.S. and U.K. authorities for which it could pay penalties of more than $1.5 billion to settle investigations.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo (MILAN:ISP) edged down 0.09%, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MADRID:SAN) and BBVA (MADRID:BBVA) fell 0.08% and 0.30% respectively.
On the upside, Carrefour (PARIS:CARR) surged 2.71% after France’s largest retailer reported first-quarter sales that exceeded analysts' estimates.
In London, FTSE 100 rose 0.38%, led by Shire Plc (LONDON:SHP), whose shares rallied 4.20% after U.S. regulators granted a priority review for Lifitegrast, the drugmaker's experimental treatment for dry-eye disease.
Financials stocks were also mostly higher, as HSBC Holdings (LONDON:HSBA) gained 0.38% and the Royal Bank of Scotland (LONDON:RBS) climbed 0.51%, while Barclays (LONDON:BARC) advanced 0.64%. Lloyds Banking (LONDON:LLOY) underperformed on the other hand, shedding 0.23%.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were broadly lower. Shares in Bhp Billiton (LONDON:BLT) slipped 0.25% and Glencore Xstrata (LONDON:GLEN) dropped 0.55%, while rivals Rio Tinto (LONDON:RIO) and Anglo American (LONDON:AAL) declined 0.72% and 1.03% respectively.
Hays Plc (LONDON:HAYS) added to losses, as shares plummeted 3.91% after the human ressources group said currency swings may reduce full-year operating profit by about £11 million.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.10% fall, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.08% slip, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.05% dip.