European Shares Slip Ahead Of US Jobs Data

(RTTNews) - European stocks fell on Friday, after having hit a six-month high in the previous session on signs of easing COVID-19 curbs in China and expectations the U.S. Federal Reserve may temper its aggressive rate hikes.

Investors awaited key U.S. employment report for November due later in the day that is expected to show a sizable slowdown in hiring.

The pan European STOXX 600 dipped 0.3 percent to 442.81 after two days of strong gains.

France's CAC 40 index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 both eased around 0.3 percent while the German DAX inched up 0.1 percent.

The euro extended gains against the dollar for a third straight session, hitting a six-month high and on track for a second weekly gain in a row.

Financials declined in London, with banks Standard Chartered and HSBC Holdings falling around 1 percent each.

Energy stocks succumbed to selling pressure after recent gains.

BP Plc lost 2.5 percent and Shell gave up 1.60 percent after the release of troubling U.S. manufacturing data and amid uncertainty over the outcome of Sunday's OPEC+ meeting.

Wizz Air Holdings gained nearly 2 percent after reporting a 70 percent rise in passenger traffic figures for November.

In economic releases, France's industrial production declined for the second straight month in October, data published by the statistical office Insee showed.

Industrial production dropped 2.6 percent month-on-month in October, following a revised 0.9 percent fall in September.