to notch record highs as global stocks take heart from strong economic data out of the U.S.
TICKER COMPANY NAME PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME
.FTSE FTSE 100 FTSE 7041.45 21.78 0.31 96032342
.GDAXI DAX DAX 15488.20 81.47 0.53 11308952
.FCHI CAC 40 Index CAC 6465.60 29.89 0.46 10814519
The pan-European Stoxx 600 gained 0.4% in early trade to pass Thursday’s intraday record high. Insurance stocks added 1.2% to lead gains as all sectors except autos entered positive territory.
Global equities look to be heading for a seventh consecutive day of gains after first-time jobless claims in the U.S. fell to a new pandemic low of 406,000, according to Labor Department data on Thursday, delivering a positive indication of the health of the recovery in the world’s largest economy.
Asian stocks also climbed in Friday’s trade, led by a gain of more than 2% for Japan’s Nikkei 225, while U.S. stock futures were pointing to a strong open on Wall Street later in the day.
Investors are also monitoring ncaegotiations in Washington over an infrastructure spending package aimed at further bolstering the recovery. Senate Republicans presented a $928 billion counteroffer to President Joe Biden on Thursday, well below the White House’s latest $1.7 trillion proposal.