Market Update
European markets opened lower Friday, looking set to suffer its worst weekly loss in nine months.
The FTSE was down 0.4%. The CAC 40 Paris was down half a percent while the German DAX fell 0.9%.
Data earlier today showed German consumer price inflation rose 1.2% in February over the last year in line with expectations. The consumer price index had stood at 1.3% in January and at 1.4% in December. Compared with January, the index was up 0.5%.
Trade balance data is due from the U.K. slightly later.
Stocks on the Move
BP PLC climbed half a percent after the U.S. government Thursday lifted a ban that excluded BP from new federal contracts.
Barclays edged up 0.2%.
Over in Paris, retailer Carrefour SA was down 0.8%. The company could raise as much as $2.1 billion from the sale of a stake in its Brazilian unit, according to reports.
Volkswagen was down 1.2% after three anti-union Volkswagen workers sued the company and the United Auto Workers in a U.S. court.