Market Update
Shares in Europe started without firm direction early Friday, after U.S. markets fell overnight on some weak jobs data, while investors now brace for the release of the more important non-farm payrolls data today that would shed further light on the state of the U.S. economy.
At 1:15 p.m. (I.S.T.), Britain's FTSE slipped 0.3%, France's CAC was flat while Germany's DAX rose 0.1%.
On Thursday, weekly jobless claims rose to the highest level since last summer, highlighting the U.S. economy's struggle in fighting unemployment. Commodity prices fell globally, with silver being the worst hit, while gold and crude-oil prices also took a hit.
Elsewhere, Asian stocks were broadly lower but India's Sensex rose after falling for nine days straight.
In the U.K., a bout of selling in mining stocks bogged down the index with BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Anglo American losing 0.8% to 1.2%.
While financials were slightly higher: BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank and Societe Generale rose 0.2% to 0.7%.
In news-driven stocks, Royal Bank of Scotland rose 3.7% while Alcatel-Lucent fell 3.8% after both firms declared contrasting quarterly earnings.