Investing.com - European stocks opened mostly lower on Friday, as markets were jittery ahead of highly-anticipated speeches by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen later in the day at the Jackson Hole summit.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.36%, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.27%, while Germany’s DAX 30 slid 0.37% by 03:40 a.m. ET (07:50 GMT).
Later Friday, ECB President Draghi was not widely expected to deliver any new policy message in his speech, despite speculation over how soon the central bank plans to start scaling back its stimulus program.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) gained 0.03 % and 0.39%, while Germany’s Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) advanced 0.44 % and 1.14%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) added 0.14% and 0.57% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA (MC:BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC:SAN) rose 0.32% and 0.60%.
Elsewhere, United Company Rusal Plc (MCX:RUAL) surged 2.57% after the aluminum producer said it expects a 5.9% demand growth for all 2017 and that first-half earnings climbed 80%.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (MI:FCHA) added to gains, with shares up 1.12% after the Italian carmaker said it is forecasting Jeep’s annual sales will rise around 30% next year to 2 million vehicles and predicts the brand could eventually deliver 7 million units a year.
In London, FTSE 100 rose 0.21%, boosted for a second consecutive session by Provident Financial (LON:PFG), whose shares soared 11.43% after the company appointed Chris Gillespie as managing director of the home credit business, replacing Andy Parkinson.
The move came as the consumer finance lender is racing to fix its technical problems in time to stop staff leaving for rival firms and after it issued on Tuesday its second profit warning in three months.
Other major U.K. lenders added to gains, as Barclays (LON:BARC) added 0.21% and Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) rose 0.25 %, while HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) climbed 0.55%. The Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) held steady, with shares easing just 0.03%.
In the mining sector, stocks were also broadly higher. Shares in Glencore (LON:GLEN) added 0.22% and Anglo American (LON:AAL) climbed 0.75%, while BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) advanced 0.89 % and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) rallied 1.30 %.
On the downside. Tesco (LON:TSCO) shares tumbled 1.79% after it and Booker on Thursday defended their proposed merger, as the impact of the £2.7 billion deal continues to affect the grocery industry.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.11% loss, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.12% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.13% slip.