In European Equity Markets stocks ended little changed on Friday, underpinned by gains among heavyweight financial stocks, which helped the pan-European STOXX 600 index snap a two-week losing streak. The STOXX 600 ended 0.1 percent down but rose 0.7 percent on the week, while the export-heavy German DAX index advanced 0.4 percent, shrugging off strength in the euro. Banks were also in positive territory, up 0.5 percent, with Italian lenders topping the index. Shares in Banco BPM, BPER Banca and UBI Banca rose by 2.5-5.9 percent after media reports that two European banking directives were in the works in Brussels, aimed at introducing looser rules on disposal of bad loans.

In Currency Markets the dollar fell to a five-week low against a basket of currencies on Friday as investors grew optimistic about the strength of the euro zone’s recovery and lost appetite for the greenback. The single currency hit its highest since Sept. 25, up 0.25 percent on the day and nearly 0.75 percent for the week. Sterling rose to its highest against the dollar since Oct. 2 as markets interpreted the latest comments from top European Union policymakers as mildly positive for Brexit negotiations. The dollar index fell to its lowest since Sept. 26 at 92.719 and the Japanese yen weakened 0.24 percent versus the greenback at 111.51 per dollar.

In Commodities Markets  U.S. oil prices hit their highest levels in more than two years on Friday after the continued shutdown of a key pipeline running from Canada to the United States was expected to reduce supply into a major storage facility. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures hit $58.92 a barrel, their highest since July 2015, before easing to trade up 79 cents on the day at $58.81. Benchmark Brent crude was trading up 1 cent at $63.56 a barrel.  Spot gold was down 0.1 percent at $1,289.81 per ounce. Silver lost 1.1 percent for the week and is poised for its first weekly decline in three. Platinum lost 0.9 percent, on track for its first weekly fall in four. Palladium climbed 0.9 percent.

In US Equity Markets  stocks gained on Friday, with the Nasdaq and the benchmark S&P 500 hitting records, helped by higher commodity prices and with retail stocks getting a boost on signs of a strong start to the holiday shopping season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.19 percent, at 23,570.3, the S&P 500 was up 0.19 percent, at 2,602.03. The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.19 percent, at 6,880.39. Ten of the 11 major S&P sectors were higher. The energy index’s 0.46 percent rise led the advancers, followed by the energy index, as commodities prices rose. The S&P retail index was up 0.63 percent to a record high, led by Macy’s 4.3 percent jump.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields rose slightly on Friday but stayed within a tight range they have held in for the past week-and-a-half as investors focused on the inflation outlook. Benchmark 10-year notes were last down 4/32 in price to yield 2.34 percent, up from 2.32 percent on Wednesday. The yield on Germany’s 10-year government bond, the benchmark for the region, is 2 basis points higher than the week’s low at 0.36 percent. Irish government bonds were among the worst performers on Friday, with 10-year yields rising 3.5 bps to 0.61 percent.