European Shares Edge Higher On Solid German Factory Orders Data

The CAC 40 rose 0.2% to around 8,130 points on Friday, extending modest gains into a third session, fueled by optimism over an anticipated Federal Reserve rate cut.

Markets price in roughly a 90% probability of a 25-bps reduction next week as US labor data shows signs of cooling.

Top movers included Teleperformance (+2.5%), Edenred (+1.9%), Saint-Gobain (+1.3%), STMicroelectronics (+1.3%), and Stellantis (+1.3%).

Bouygues advanced 0.5% after its Colas subsidiary Destia won the first-phase €230 million contract for Vantaa’s western tramway, part of a €750 million project.

Danone rose 0.4% after announcing a 3.8 million share buyback starting December 5 to offset employee-related dilution.

Luxury stocks lagged, with LVMH down 1.0% and Hermès -0.19%.

Industrial production rose 0.2% in October, beating expectations for a 0.3% contraction, while the trade deficit narrowed to a 10-month low as imports fell to a four-year trough.

The FTSE MIB climbed 0.7% to around 43,800 in early trading on Friday, marking a fresh near three-week high, moving broadly in line with regional peers and positioning itself for a second consecutive weekly gain.

Investor sentiment remained buoyed by expectations that the Federal Reserve could deliver another rate cut next week.

Meanwhile, market participants closely monitored ongoing US-led efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine.

Across the index, gains were led by Prysmian (+1.8%), STMicroelectronics (+1.5%), Stellantis (+1.1%), Buzzi Unicem (+1.2%), and Nexi (+1.3%).

On the economic front, Italy’s retail sales rebounded 0.5% month-on-month in October, reversing a 0.4% decline in September and slightly exceeding expectations of a 0.4% rise.

CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Asian stocks ended mixed on Friday after three days of gains. Japanese markets led regional losses after government data showed household spending in the country unexpectedly slumped at the fastest pace in nearly two years in October.

Tech stocks came under selling pressure as investors await key U.S. inflation data later in the day for direction ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting.

A softer dollar helped lift gold prices while crude oil prices were little changed in Asian trading.

China's Shanghai Composite index surged 0.70 percent to 3,902.81 ahead of key data next week including inflation, trade and producer prices. Investors also waited for policy signals from key policy meetings this month. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index ended up 0.58 percent at 26,085.08.

Japan's Nikkei average fell 1.05 percent to 50,491.87, with technology stocks pacing the declines. Advantest and Tokyo Electron both fell over 2 percent.

SoftBank Group shares surged nearly 6 percent on news its chip unit, Arm Holdings, plans to set up a chip design facility in South Korea. The broader Topix index settled 1.05 percent lower at 3,362.56.

Seoul stocks rose sharply as automakers surged amid reduced U.S. tariff concerns. Hyundai Motor shares jumped 11.1 percent and Kia Corp added 2.7 percent. The benchmark Kospi index rose 1.78 percent to 4,100.05.

Australian markets eked out modest gains after data showed Australian household spending climbed across all nine categories in October, signaling resilient mortgage demand.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 edged up by 0.19 percent to 8,634.60 while the broader All Ordinaries index closed up 0.22 percent at 8,926.10.

Premier Investments plunged nearly 16 percent after issuing earnings guidance below market expectations. Rio Tinto dropped 1.5 percent after its new CEO pushed a sweeping overhaul aimed at tightening costs.

Across the Tasman, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX-50 index slipped 0.23 percent to 13,483.99, extending losses for a second day running.

Overnight, U.S. stocks ended narrowly mixed as investors braced for next week's interest-rate decision from the Federal Reserve.

Treasury yields moved higher after data showed first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell to a three-year low in the week ended November 29.

Consulting firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas said that U.S. job cuts bumped past the 1 million threshold for 2025 in November as corporate restructuring, artificial intelligence and tariffs helped pare job rolls.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite edged up by 0.2 percent and the S&P 500 closed 0.1 percent higher to extend gains for a third day while the narrower Dow finished marginally lower.

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Frankfurt's DAX rose 0.4% to trade around 23,980 on Friday, the highest in over three weeks, on track to post a second consecutive weekly gains.

Economic data from both sides of the Atlantic, corporate updates and geopolitics remained in focus.

Market sentiment remained largely supported by expectations of a Fed rate cut next week, with September’s US PCE inflation data potentially playing a decisive role in shaping the Federal Reserve’s policy stance.

Stocks in Europe traded higher on Friday, with both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 up 0.2%, putting them on track to notch a second consecutive week of gains.

Expectations that the Federal Reserve will deliver another rate cut next week continued to lift sentiment, supporting a broadly positive tone across equity markets.

Investors in Europe are also keeping a close eye on US.-led negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Corporate news drove much of the day’s sector moves, with basic resources, autos, healthcare, and chemicals among the top performers.

Novo Nordisk rose more than 2% after announcing ongoing tests of an Ozempic pill formulation for Alzheimer’s disease.

AstraZeneca gained 0.6% and Novartis added 0.5%.

Ocado Group surged more than 9% to lead the STOXX 600 following news of a settlement between the company and Kroger.

By contrast, BP was among the weakest performers, falling 2.6%.

For the week, the STOXX 50 has risen 0.9%, while the STOXX 600 is up 0.4% so far.

London’s FTSE 100 nudged up toward the 9,730 level at the close of a muted week, buoyed by gains in the UK’s heavyweight mining stocks and as investors look ahead to next week’s Federal Reserve meeting.

Antofagasta and Anglo American led the index with gains of more than 2%, followed by Glencore (up 1.9%) and Rio Tinto (1.1%), as copper hit a new record high and silver continued to strengthen.

In corporate updates, Unilever (up 0.2%) confirmed that the demerger of its ice-cream business, now rebranded as The Magnum Ice Cream Company, will be completed on December 6.

Meanwhile, BAT (down 0.3%) said it will increase the size of the stake it plans to sell in ITC Hotels to 9%, or 187.5 million shares, up from 7%, as it faces pressure to reduce debt and refocus on innovation.

On the macro front, UK house prices were broadly flat in November, with annual growth slowing sharply.

Even so, the average price still inched up to a new record high of £299,892.