European stocks were higher as investors monitor U.S.-Iran tensions

LONDON — European stocks were higher on Friday as merchants parsed by extra financial information and earnings experiences, whereas monitoring tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 was up 0.4% at noon in London. The U.Okay.’s FTSE 100 was 0.5% higher, whereas France’s CAC 40 rose 0.8%, and Germany’s DAX moved up almost 0.3%.

Friday noticed extra European firms reporting earnings, together with Air Liquide, Danone, Sika, Anglo American, and Kingspan Group.

Mining big Anglo American was up 0.7% at midday after reporting adjusted core earnings of $6.4 billion for 2025, up from $6.3 billion the prior yr, pushed by sturdy efficiency in copper and premium iron ore, as effectively as vital value financial savings amounting to $1.8 billion for the yr. Its web debt decreased to $8.6 billion.

Nevertheless, the group reported a $3.7 billion web loss, largely on account of a $2.3 billion pre-tax impairment on its De Beers diamond unit, amid difficult market circumstances. Anglo American’s CEO Duncan Wanblad stated the corporate is progressing with the separation of De Beers.

Merchants are additionally parsing by financial information, together with U.Okay. retail gross sales figures, German producer value figures, and PMI flashes for the U.Okay., France, Germany, and the euro zone.

The U.Okay.’s retail gross sales figures were estimated to have risen 1.8% in January 2026, up from a 0.4% improve in December 2025, pointing to an uptick within the financial system, in accordance with information from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics. Moreover, gross sales volumes rose by 4.5% over the yr.

Britain’s public funds, launched Friday, confirmed that the general public sector recorded a £30.4 billion ($40.8 billion) surplus in January 2026, which is double the extent recorded a yr earlier. Public borrowing stood at £112.1 billion for the reason that begin of the fiscal yr in April 2025, 11.5% lower than the identical interval a yr in the past.

The British pound was almost flat in opposition to the greenback, buying and selling at $1.347. British authorities bond yields, recognized as gilts, were blended. The 10-year Gilt was down 2 foundation factors to 4.35%, whereas the 2-year Gilt rose lower than 1 foundation level to three.576%.

Geopolitical tensions are additionally in focus after U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Thursday he would resolve whether or not to take army motion in opposition to Iran within the subsequent 10 days.

U.S. futures climbed in a single day as key financial information is because of be launched, together with the private consumption expenditures index, which is the Federal Reserve’s most popular inflation gauge, and the gross home product report for the fourth quarter.

Asia-Pacific markets were principally decrease on Friday, after the three main Wall Road indexes were down in a single day amid a drop in personal credit score stocks and the tensions within the Center East.