European stock markets were mixed on Friday as investors eagerly awaited the release of inflation data for the euro zone.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index remained largely unchanged around 9:50 a.m. London time, with various sectors and major stock exchanges showing divergent trends.
In France, the CAC 40 index gained 0.1% despite ongoing political instability. This comes shortly after the country’s risk premium reached parity with Greece’s for the first time in recent history.
Investor focus turned to economic data, particularly the flash estimate for euro zone inflation in November, which was due for release at 10 a.m. London time. This data will be closely scrutinized ahead of the European Central Bank’s final meeting of the year on December 12.
Preliminary data from France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) showed that the country’s harmonized inflation rate rose slightly to 1.7% in November, up from 1.6% in October. This was in line with economists’ expectations and remains below the European Central Bank’s 2% target.
Meanwhile, U.S. markets reopened for a shortened trading session following the Thanksgiving holiday.
In Asia-Pacific, markets mostly declined on Friday, with South Korean stocks leading the losses. However, strong inflation figures from Tokyo fueled expectations that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates soon.
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