BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks struggled for direction on Friday as focus shifted to the August U.S. nonfarm payrolls report later in the day, which could offer additional clues on the Federal Reserve's policy path.
Investors curbed their U.S. rate hike bets after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller argued in favor of keeping rates unchanged at the upcoming policy meeting.
Meanwhile, Germany's factory orders grew more than expected in July, driven by surging demand in ships, railway rolling stock and aircraft manufacturing, official data revealed today.
Factory orders increased 2.5 percent on a monthly basis in July but slower than the revised 3.7 percent expansion seen in June, Destatis reported. Orders were expected to rise 0.3 percent.
On a yearly basis, growth in factory orders accelerated to 13.1 percent in July from 7.2 percent in the prior month.
The pan-European STOXX 600 slipped 0.1 percent to 648.41 after rising half a percent on Thursday to snap a three-day losing streak.
The German DAX was marginally higher, while France's CAC 40 dipped 0.2 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was little changed with a negative bias.
In corporate news, Volkswagen shares soared 5.4 percent as the German automaker announced plans to cut another 50,000 jobs as part of its transformation program 'Future Plan 2030' and said it would invest a three-figure billion sum over the coming years.
France's Alstom advanced 1.6 percent after it signed an agreement with VIA Rail Canada to design, engineer, manufacture and support a new Long-Distance, Regional and Remote fleet for passenger services across Canada.
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