\n<\/p>\n
European markets<\/span> ended on a mixed note on Friday despite spending much of the day’s session in positive territory, with investors reacting to a slew of corporate earnings reports, economic data and updates on vaccination drive.<\/p>\n Optimism about additional U.S. fiscal stimulus, momentum in vaccination and reports showing a drop in new coronavirus<\/span> cases lifted stock prices, while profit taking wiped off gains towards the closing minutes.<\/p>\n The pan European Stoxx 600 ended flat. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 ended down 0.22%, Germany’s DAX edged down 0.03% and France’s CAC 40 surged up 0.9%, while Switzerland’s SMI tumbled 0.97%.<\/p>\n The CAC 40 gained about 4.65% in the week, the FTSE 100 advanced 1.4% and the DAX posted a gain of 4.6%.<\/p>\n Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, Russia and Spain moved higher.<\/p>\n Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Turkey ended weak. Ireland closed flat.<\/p>\n In the UK market, Whitbread, Glencore, Natwest Group, British Land, Pershing Square, Fresnillo, Barratt Developments, Royal Dutch Shell, Burberry Group, Lloyds Banking, IAG and JD Sports Fashion ended stronger by 2 to 5.3%.<\/p>\n On the other hand, Johnson Matthey, Experian, DCC, National Grid, Aviva, Ashtead Group, Pennon Group and Unilever ended lower by 2 to 4.3%.<\/p>\n In the French market, Vinci gained nearly 6% after the company said it expects contracting business<\/span> to achieve growth in business levels and earnings.<\/p>\n Renault, Accor, Societe Generale, LOreal, Essilor, Carrefour, Michelin, Publicis Groupe, ArcelorMittal, Technip and Credit Agricole ended sharply higher.<\/p>\n BNP Paribas climbed 2.6% after the company reported upbeat earnings and announced a dividend of pay out of 1.11 euros per share.<\/p>\n Sanofi shares moved up sharply after the company said it expects higher earnings in the current year.<\/p>\n In the German market, Bayer, Deutsche Post, Beiersdorf, Daimler, Infineon Technologies, Adidas, Fresenius and Linde posted strong gains, while Siemens, SAP, Volkswagen, Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Wohnen slid 1 to 2%.<\/p>\n In economic news, German factory orders were down 1.9% month-on-month in December, reversing a 2.7% rise in November, data from Destatis revealed.<\/p>\n In the U.K., house prices fell 0.3% in January from a month earlier as the market appeared to lose momentum following a stimulus-fueled surge last year, according to mortgage lender Halifax.<\/p>\n France’s current account deficit narrowed in the fourth quarter, thanks to a smaller shortfall in non-energy goods, the Bank of France said Friday. The current account deficit halved to EUR 7.5 billion from EUR 13.2 billion in the third quarter.<\/p>\n French payroll employment declined only moderately in the fourth quarter despite the health<\/span> crisis and second lockdown after a sharp rebound in the summer, flash data from the statistical office Insee showed.<\/p>\n Private payroll employment dropped 0.2%, or 39,600 in the fourth quarter. Payroll employment remained below its pre-crisis level. Over the whole year of 2020, payroll employment decreased 1.8 percent, or 360,500, after five years of successive increases. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n