Europe: Stocks flat at open

[LONDON] Europe's major stock markets were little changed in early deals on Friday, with London's benchmark FTSE 100 index opening at 7,136.23 points.

In the eurozone, the Paris CAC 40 dipped 0.1 per cent to 5,261.48 points compared with the closing level on Wednesday.

Meanwhile the German DAX's opening was delayed by up to an hour because of a "technical problem" with Frankfurt's trading system.

Donald Trump's appointment this week of Lary Kudlow, who is a supporter of the president's "America first" agenda but has openly criticised his tariffs move, appears to have limited worries of an imminent trade war - at least on the European front.

Traders focused their attention on the European Central Bank (ECB), which is due later Friday to announce inflation data.

Analayst Jasper Lawler of the London Capital Group said inflation was expected to remain "stubbornly low".

"Whilst eurozone growth was the big story for 2017, in 2018 economic data is pointing to a loss of momentum," Mr Lawler said.

AFP