- Israel to mark October 7 attack as Gaza war spreads
- Gauff fights back to reach China Open final
- Recovering Stokes ruled out of first Pakistan Test
- Hezbollah battles troops on border as Israel pounds Lebanon
- Alcaraz, Sinner breeze into third round of Shanghai Masters
- Bagnaia wins Japan MotoGP sprint to cut Martin's lead
- Alcaraz breezes into third round of Shanghai Masters
- Gaza cultural heritage brought to light in Geneva
- 'Bullet for democracy': Trump returns to site of rally shooting
- Italy targets climate activists in 'anti-Gandhi' demo clampdown
- South Korean cult-horror series 'Hellbound' returns at BIFF
- Nepalis fear more floods as climate change melts glaciers
- Honduras arrests environmentalist's alleged murderer
- Padres pitcher Musgrove needs elbow surgery
- Supreme Court lets stand rules to curb mercury, methane emissions
- Boston beat Denver in NBA exhibition season opener, but Jokic says omens are good
- Chagos diaspora angry at lack of input on islands' fate
- Biden says 'not confident' of peaceful US election
- US trade chief defends tariff hikes when paired with investment
- Lukaku stars as Napoli beat Como to hold Serie A top spot
- Ohtani set for MLB playoff debut as Dodgers face Padres
- Pogba's drug ban cut to 18 months from four years
- Devine leads New Zealand to big win over India in Women's T20 World Cup
- Bosnia floods kill 16 people
- EU court blocks French ban on vegetable 'steak' labelling
- Prosecutors seek dismissal of rape charges against French rugby players
- Meta AI turns pictures into videos with sound
- Bolivia's Morales says claims he raped a minor are a 'lie'
- MLB Reds hire two-time champion Francona as manager
- Daniel Maldini receives first Italy call-up for Nations League
- US dockworkers return to ports after three-day strike
- Ancelotti points finger at Madrid's 'lack of intensity'
- Haiti reeling after 70 killed in gang attack
- Five Czech kids in hospital over TikTok 'piercing challenge'
- What happens next in Iran-Israel conflict?
- Country star Garth Brooks denies rape accusations
- Stubbs hits maiden century as South Africa make 343-4 against Ireland
- DR Congo to begin mpox vaccination campaign Saturday in east
- Odegaard injury has forced Arsenal to be 'different', says Arteta
- Ratcliffe refuses to guarantee Ten Hag's Man Utd future
- Meta must limit data use for targeted ads: EU court
- Mauritius to hold legislative election on November 10
- Britain qualify for America's Cup final after 60-year wait
- IMF asks Sri Lanka to protect hard-won gains
- Morata returns to Spain Nations League squad after injury
- Irish regulator to probe Ryanair use of facial recognition
- Public allowed to see video evidence in France mass rape trial
- US hiring soars past expectations in sign of resilient market
- Under-fire Ten Hag 'together' with Man Utd hierarchy
- Guardiola talks of Man City love affair as financial hearing rumbles on
European stocks rise awaiting US rate cut next week
European stock markets extended gains, gold hit a record high and the dollar fell on Friday ahead of an expected US interest-rate cut next week.
More data this week suggesting the Federal Reserve was winning the battle against inflation provided an extra kick for global equities after recent drops caused by worries of a possible US recession.
Asia's main stock markets diverged as they closed out the week, while Wall Street advanced Thursday.
While concerns linger over last week's big miss on US jobs creation, traders are turning their attention to the central bank decision next Wednesday.
"Gold prices are once again at record levels as the dollar weakens ahead of an anticipated interest-rate cut from the US Federal Reserve," noted Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
"A weaker dollar is typically supportive to gold because it is denominated in the US currency.
"Lower rates are also a driver for the precious metal as it increases its attractiveness versus assets like cash and bonds."
The price of gold struck an all-time high $2,572.98 per ounce on Friday.
Having slashed rates in the early months of the pandemic, the Fed began hiking them in 2022 as inflation started to take hold, and they kept lifting until rates hit a two-decade high.
Now, with disinflation seemingly kicking in and the labour market softening, decision-makers are tipped to start cutting again, with debate on whether it will be a 25 or 50-basis-point move.
The European Central Bank on Thursday further reduced eurozone borrowing costs as inflation cools, while eyes will be on the Bank of England next week to see if it will carry out back-to-back cuts.
In company news, Danish logistics group DSV on Friday announced a deal to acquire Schenker, a division of German rail firm Deutsche Bahn, for 14.3 billion euros ($15.8 billion) and create a "powerhouse" in the freight-forwarding sector.
- Key figures around 1100 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 8,270.09 points
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 7,457.00
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 18,617.85
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.7 percent at 36,581.76 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 17,369.09 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 2,704.09 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 41,096.77 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1090 from $1.1078 on Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3129 from $1.3126
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 140.63 yen from 141.78 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 84.49 pence from 84.36 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.9 percent at $72.64 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 percent at $69.64 per barrel
R.J.Fidalgo--PC