ROME: European equities pushed slightly higher Friday, finding support as investors assessed corporate earnings, but the market remained on course for its first weekly decline in three.
The Stoxx Europe 600 SXXP, +0.19% was higher by 0.4% to 399.80. The pan-European index was still on track for a 1.5% weekly loss.
France’s CAC 40 PX1, +0.38% rose 0.6% to 5,116.99, and Germany’s DAX 30 DAX, +0.01% gained 0.1% at 11,528.07. Spain’s IBEX 35 IBEX, -0.36% was flat at 11,444.70, and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 UKX, +0.12% picked up 0.3% at 6,674.53. But each of those indexes were facing weekly declines, as well.
The mining group SXPP, -0.02% on the Stoxx 600 was the only sector in the red early Friday, after a preliminary reading of Chinese manufacturing activity in July sank to a 15-month low. Mining companies are sensitive to China’s economic performance as the country is a major buyer of natural resources and related products.
Among mining decliners, Antofagasta PLC ANTO, -1.67% fell 1.6% and Polyus Gold International Ltd. PGIL, -1.30% lost 1.4%.
