BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks may open higher on Friday, although underlying sentiment will likely remain cautious amid risk-off sentiment prevailing globally on worries over slowing global growth.
After surprisingly weak reports on manufacturing, investors now eye the U.S. December jobs report, due later in the day for clues to the future direction of the world's largest economy.
U.S. employment is expected to increase by 177,000 jobs in December after rising by 155,000 jobs in November. The jobless rate is expected to hold at 3.7 percent.
Along with the jobs report, trading may be impacted by reaction to comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who is due to participate in a joint discussion with former Fed Chairs Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke.
Asian markets are trading mixed, with Chinese and Hong Kong shares rallying while Japan's Nikkei index fell more than 2 percent as trading resumed after a long week of holidays. The dollar index held weak while oil prices held firm after climbing to near a two-week high over four consecutive sessions.
U.S. stocks plunged overnight as weak manufacturing data around the world and a downwardly revised guidance from Apple stirred concerns about the economic outlook. The Dow lost 2.8 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gave up 3 percent and the S&P 500 declined 2.5 percent.
European markets also ended deep in the red on Thursday amid global growth concerns. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index shed 1 percent.
The German DAX tumbled 1.6 percent, France's CAC 40 dropped 1.7 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 declined 0.6 percent.
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