In European Equity Markets the pan-European STOXX 600 closed almost half a percent higher on Friday, with almost all sectors in the green. European bourses were higher, with France’s CAC 40 outperforming fellow indexes on the back of strong earnings. Luxury brand LVMH rose almost 4.9 percent after reporting that revenue had increased by 13 percent, compared to the previous year, coming in at 42.6 billion euros for 2017. The group added that it was “cautiously confident” for 2018, despite uncertainties surrounding geopolitics and fluctuations in the currency market. Other French luxury makers rose near the top of the STOXX 600 on the back of LVMH’s results, with Christian Dior up more than 4 percent and Kering up more than 2 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar remained weak against a basket of currencies on Friday, bruised by comments by senior U.S. officials this week backing a weak dollar and after data showed U.S. economic growth unexpectedly slowed in the fourth quarter. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was down 0.44 percent at 89.002 and on track for a weekly fall of 1.7 percent, its worst performance since May. The euro was up 0.3 percent against the greenback at $1.2432, after hitting a more than three-year high of $1.2536 on Thursday. The dollar slipped to a session low against the Japanese yen after Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said the central bank expects the economy to continue growing at a moderate pace and inflationary expectations are picking up slightly.

In Commodities Markets oil prices were firmer on Friday after hitting fresh three-year highs in the previous session, as weakness in the dollar continued to underpin prices with crude on track for a weekly gain. Brent crude futures were trading 5 cents higher at $70.47 per barrel. On Thursday, the contract climbed to as high as $71.28, its highest since 2014. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were trading 57 cents, or 0.8 percent higher, at $66.08 a barrel. On Thursday, they also reached their highest since December 2014, at $66.66. Brent was so far up 2.7 percent this week, while WTI was on track for a weekly gain of 4 percent. Gold rose 0.4 percent higher, up 1.6 percent so far this week. The metal climbed towards the previous session’s 17-month peak as suggestions senior U.S. officials may support a weaker dollar knocked the currency lower.

In US Equity Markets indexes rose to fresh records on Friday, propelled by strong earnings from Intel and drug-maker AbbVie as well as a weaker dollar, putting the three main indexes on track for their best four-week rally since 2016. Intel’s shares jumped more than 9 percent to their highest in almost two decades, after strong results offered the clearest sign yet that its years-long effort to shift away from a slowing PC business was paying off. AbbVie rose 8.9 percent after reporting upbeat profit on strong sales for its blockbuster drug Humira. The S&P 500 rose 0.51 percent, to 2,853.86. The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.64 percent, at 7,458.96. Pfizer and Gilead Sciences also rose, pulling higher the S&P healthcare index by 1.14 percent, the biggest gainer among the 11 major S&P sectors.

In Bond Markets German two-year bond yields rose to their highest level in almost seven months and five-year yields hit two-year highs on Friday, after the European Central Bank’s Benoit Coeure said he saw complacency in financial markets towards inflation risks. The two-year Schatz yield rose to minus 0.545 percent, up around 2.5 basis points on the day. Five-year German bond yields hit their highest level in over two years at minus 0.03 percent — within sight of zero percent. Most 10-year euro zone bond yields were up 1 to 3 basis points on the day. Germany’s Bund yield headed back towards the six-month high of 0.579 percent hit on Thursday. The German government bond yield curve was at its flattest in almost six weeks, as the 30-year Bund yield fell to 2 1/2- week low at 1.257 pct, down 5 bps on day.