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Investing.com - European stocks were lower on Friday, as investors continued to focus on daily corporate earnings reports amid ongoing political uncertainty in Europe and the U.S.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 dipped 0.07%, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.25%, while Germany’s DAX 30 slipped 0.27%.
Markets were jittery after French centrist Francois Bayrou said on Wednesday that he was offering an alliance with independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in May's presidential election, who was expected to unveil the key figures of his proposed economic plan later Friday.
The move could hinder far-right candidate Marine Le Pen's chances of winning.
Investors were also looking ahead to an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Congress next week for further clarity on his economic policy.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) declined 0.76% and 0.83%, while Germany’s Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) retreated 0.56% and 0.63%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) slid 0.48% and 0.66% respectively. Spanish banks BBVA (MC:BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC:SAN) overpeformed, with shares up 0.16% and 0.51%.
Elsewhere, Safran (PA:SAF) SA slipped 0.20% even after the French aerospace supplier said its full-year profit increased by 21.7%, helped by strong demand for the commercial airliners it equips.
In London, FTSE 100 eased 0.09%, weighed by Micro Focus International (LON:MCRO), whose shares plummeted 2.46% after the software company reconfirmed expectations that revenue in the fiscal year ending April 30 will range from 2% lower to flat compared with the previous year.
Financial stocks added to losses, as HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) dipped 0.06% and Barclays (LON:BARC) fell 0.22%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) tumbled 1.93% after reporting a £7 billion annual loss.
Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) overperformed however, with shares adding 0.17%.
In the mining sector, stocks were mixed. Shares in Glencore (LON:GLEN) slipped 0.27% and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) declined 0.97%, while Fresnillo (LON:FRES) rallied 2.02%.
In earnings news, Pearson (LON:PSON) Plc reported a wider full-year net loss, weighed by declines in the U.K. and U.S. education markets. The news sent shares down 1.70%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.11% fall, S&P 500 futures showed a 0.15% loss, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.21% slide.
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