BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks rose on Friday after an U.S. FDA panel recommended emergency approval of Moderna vaccine, paving the way for six million doses to start shipping as soon as this weekend.
The upside was capped by fresh U.S.-China tensions, little progress on a federal-spending deal in Washington and continued uncertainty over Brexit.
Reuters reported that the United States is adding dozens of Chinese companies, including the country's top chipmaker SMIC, to a trade blacklist.
U.S. lawmakers continued negotiations to clinch a deal for a new stimulus package, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying talks could spill into the weekend.
Hopes of a post-Brexit trade deal dimmed after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said discussions are in a 'serious situation' and that a no-deal outcome is 'very likely.'
The benchmark CAC 40 edged up 13 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,562 after finishing marginally higher on Thursday.
Ophthalmic company EssilorLuxottica SA rose nearly 2 percent. The company said that its founder and executive chairman, Leonardo Del Vecchio, will voluntarily step back from his executive responsibilities in the company and remain non-executive chairman of the company.
It is due to preserve the equal powers principle of the business combination agreement currently in place.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX