The pan-European STOXX 600 index edged lower early on Friday following a drop in commodity-related stocks, although the benchmark index remained on track for its best weekly performance since the middle of December.
Britain’s commodity-heavy FTSE 100 index fell 0.1 per cent after hitting a new record high in the previous day. However, it was on track for its fifth straight week of gains.
The STOXX 600 index was trading 0.2 per cent lower by 0830GMT, further retreating from a one-year high set earlier this week. It has gained nearly 1 per cent this week.
Precious metals miner
Industrial metals miners also came under pressure following a drop in the prices of major base metals. Shares in Anglo American, Antofagasta and Rio Tinto were down 0.5 to 1.4 per cent.
Investors awaited US jobs data later in the day for clues about the stock market’s near-term direction.
Non-farm payrolls likely increased by 178,000 jobs in December after the same gain in November, according to a Reuters survey of economists.