By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets rose Friday as
bank shares benefited from easing measures announced by the
European Central Bank, putting the regional market on track for an
eighth week of wins.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 0.2% at 345.52, extending
Thursday's gain, which left the index at its highest level in more
than six years.
Friday's advancers included Société Générale SA , as its shares
rose 1.6%, and Banco Santander SA (SAN), which picked up 0.9%. The
Portugal PSI 20 index outperformed other regional indexes, up 1% to
7,305, as a number of banks pushed higher. Banco Comercial
Português SA added 1.8%.
The ECB cut interest rates on Thursday, turning the deposit rate
negative for the first time, as policy makers aim to boost
inflation and encourage growth through boosting bank lending and
spending, among consumers and businesses.
Among other equity gauges, the German DAX 30 index rose 0.1% to
9,955.68, but the French CAC 40 index slipped 0.2% to 4,541.09. The
FTSE 100 index gained 0.3% to 6,834.37.
Investors will later turn their attention to labor-market data
from the U.S., the world's largest economy, with Wall Street
expecting the addition of 210,000 jobs in May. The nonfarm-payrolls
report is due at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. A surge in new jobs from
February to April marked the best three-month stretch of hiring in
two years.
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