European stocks may slip on profit taking Friday after three consecutive sessions of gains. <\/p>\n
Amid a lack of major triggers, trading may be influenced by reaction to the latest batch of earnings news.<\/p>\n
Asian markets<\/span> were subdued, as the dollar index held steady and Treasury yields surged on fears of renewed inflationary pressures in response to robust U.S. labor market figures released overnight. <\/p>\n Gold hovered near a two-month high and was on course for a third weekly gain amid expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve may pause interest rate hikes after delivering a 25-bps rate hike next week.<\/p>\n Besides the Fed, policy meetings of the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan are also due next week.<\/p>\n Oil prices rose about 1 percent in Asian trade amidst fears of lower supplies from Russia and signs of declining inventories.<\/p>\n Retail sales and public sector finance data from the U.K. are due later in the session, headlining a light day for the European economic news.<\/p>\n U.S. stocks ended mixed overnight as investors reacted to disappointing earnings news from the likes of Netflix and Tesla and signs the labor market remains tight.<\/p>\n Data showed weekly jobless claims fell to a two-month low, boosting rate-hike bets.<\/p>\n The Dow inched up half a percent to close higher for the ninth straight session, reaching its best closing level in over a year.<\/p>\n On the contrary, the S&P 500 shed 0.7 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plunged 2.1 percent.<\/p>\n European stocks rose for a third straight session on Thursday as investors digested more corporate earnings.<\/p>\n The pan European STOXX 600 edged up 0.4 percent. The German DAX rose 0.6 percent, while France’s CAC 40 and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 both gained around 0.8 percent. <\/p>\n