In European Equity Markets stocks ended slightly higher Friday, as big gains for Unilever PLC and Essentra PLC helped offset falls by Dutch storage company Royal Vopak NV and German insurer Allianz SE. The Stoxx Europe 600 inched up less than 0.1 percent to close at 370.22, leaving the index with a 0.8 percent gain for the week. Essentra PLC finished 15 percent higher, even as the U.K. plastic and fiber products maker swung to a full year pretax loss and cautioned that business conditions have worsened. On the downside, shares in Royal Vopak fell 7 percent after the provider of storage for the oil and chemicals industries said 2017 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization “will not exceed yhe 2016 result”.

In Currency Markets the yen rose against major currencies on Friday as concerns about the upcoming French elections and the lack of movement in fiscal changes in the United States kindled safe-haven demand for the Japanese currency. The yen was up 0.3 percent against the dollar at 112.81 yen and was 0.8 percent higher versus the euro at 119.87 yen. The euro fell 0.5 percent against the dollar at $1.0623, holding above a five-week low of $1.0520 struck on Wednesday. Sterling declined 0.54 percent to $1.2423. The Australian and New Zealand dollars were weaker, with Aussie down 0.36 percent at $0.7668 and with Kiwi shedding 0.37 percent to $0.7185.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell on Friday, retreating from the previous day’s gains under pressure from a stronger dollar and rising U.S. shale oil output, but losses were limited by expectations that producing countries will eventually cut enough output to reduce a global glut. Brent crude futures were down 16 cents at $55.49 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 0.6 percent, at $53.06 per barrel. Spot gold gained 0.2 percent to $1,241 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures added 0.1 percent to $1,242.30. Spot silver fell 0.4 percent to $18.01 an ounce. The metal hit its strongest since Nov. 11 at $18.13 in the previous session. Platinum fell 0.8 percent to $1,003.74 and palladium declined 1 percent to $784.22.

In US Equity Markets the Dow and S&P 500 fell on Friday, led by bank and healthcare stocks, as investors booked profits after a record-setting few days, while gains in Kraft Heinz help limit losses on the Nasdaq. The Dow was down 0.27 percent, at 20,563.41, the S&P 500 was down 0.20 percent, at 2,342.47. The Nasdaq Composite was down 0.01 percent, at 5,814.22. UnitedHealth sank 3.7 percent to $157.55 after it was sued by the Justice Department over Medicare charges. Other health insurers also fell, including Aetna by nearly 3 percent. Kraft jumped 8.2 percent after it said it would continue to pursue a $143 billion bid for Unilever despite being rebuffed. Unilever’s U.S.-listed shares rose 9.5 percent.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury prices gained on Friday as concerns over the French election and weak data in Britain added to risk aversion, hurting stock markets and boosting demand for safe haven U.S. debt. Benchmark 10-year notes were last up 12/32 in price to yield 2.41 percent, down from 2.45 percent late on Thursday, and the lowest since Feb. 10. British 10-year government bond yields fell to a three-month low on Friday after data showed shoppers unexpectedly spent less in January, while German government bonds were also boosted by nervousness over the French election.