Investing.com - European markets opened steady to higher on Friday, as investors focused on a fresh round of corporate earnings reports, as well as on a potential U.S. government shutdown over the weekend.
The EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.23%, France’s CAC 40 edged 0.09% higher, while Germany’s DAX 30 was up 0.41% by 03:40 a.m. ET (07:40 GMT).
Markets were jittery as U.S. lawmakers failed to agree on a federal budget deal on Thursday, sparking fears of a government shutdown on Saturday.
Financial stocks were mixed, as BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) slipped 0.12% and Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) gained 0.60% in France, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) advanced 0.33% and 1.55%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) fell 0.26% and 0.29% respectively, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) edged down 0.14% and 0.27%.
Elsewhere, Thyssenkrupp (DE:TKAG) shares climbed 0.99% ahead of the steelmaker's annual general meeting scheduled later in the day.
Earlier in the week, shareholders renewed calls for structural change at the company, putting more pressure on Chief Executive Heinrich Hiesinger.
BASF SE NA O.N. (DE:BASFN) added to gains, with shares up 1.07% after the German chemicals and pharmaceuticals group said it expects to post a 50% increase in 2017 net profits, thanks to strong demand and lower levies in the U.S.
In London, FTSE 100 dipped 0.04%, weighed by Provident Financial (LON:PFG), whose shares plummeted 2.78% after the company warned this week that 2017 losses at its Home Credit division would be at the top end of previous guidance.
The group also said that it is in talks with the Financial Conduct Authority “with a view to reaching a resolution of the regulatory investigations”.
Financial stocks were also on the downside, as Barclays (LON:BARC) fell 0.22% and Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) dropped 0.40%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) and HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) declined 0.60% and 0.77% respectively.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were higher on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore (LON:GLEN) gained 0.68% and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) jumped 1.21%, while rival company BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) rallied 1.23%.
Burberry Group (LON:BRBY) was one of the top performers on the index, as shares climbed 1.28%, recovering from losses posted earlier in the week when the group unveiled a 2% decline in third-quarter retail revenue.
In other news, French President Emmanuel Macron said that, if the U.K. wants access to the single market, it will have to contribute to the European Union budget and follow European jurisdiction.
Macron's comments followed a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.11% rise, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.05% uptick, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.14% gain.