Market Update
Stocks in Europe edged up mildly but gains remained limited as investors awaited a key jobs report in the United States that would set the tone for equities ahead.
At the time of writing, Britain's FTSE and France's CAC rose 0.1% each while Germany's DAX gained 0.3%.
Financials were broadly higher across the board with Deutsche Bank, HSBC Holdings, Lloyds Banking Group and Societe Generale adding 0.4% to 0.8%. Miners traded mixed: Rio Tinto declined 0.6% while Anglo American climbed 0.8%.
In news-driven movers, transport stocks witnessed action in early trade with Stagecoach Group climbing 3.7% after a broker rated a 'buy' on the stock.
Shares in phone maker Nokia were off 3.3% following its profit warning last week and over continuing uncertainty over the firm's business direction going forward.
Asian markets were mostly lower in early trade as recent weak jobs data in the United States has led to questions over the state of the global economy.