Coming in at 5.7% in March, it picked up speed from 5.6% in February. The core inflation rate - which excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco - quickened, however. The figure was shy of the FXStreet-cited consensus of 7.1%. The single currency area's annual inflation rate eased to 6.9% in March from 8.5% in February. The FTSE 100 is set for a fifth-successive daily rise.Įyes on Friday were on eurozone inflation data. A buyout of Credit Suisse by compatriot UBS, and pressure on Deutsche Bank, transferred the focus of concern to Europe.Įquities are ending the month strongly, however, on an absence of fresh banking stumbles. The month started fairly quietly, though the collapse of tech sector lender Silicon Valley Bank led to fears of a global banking crisis. The FTSE 100 has lost 3.0% in March alone, however. 'It's all quiet on the Western front for equities as the first quarter finishes on a welcome note of calm,' AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould commented. London's blue-chip benchmark has added 2.5% so far this year. This week's progress means the FTSE 100 is on track to end the quarter better than where it started it. In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.6%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt was up 0.5%. The Cboe Small Companies, however, was down 1.0% at 13,145.91. The AIM All-Share was down 0.80 of a point, 0.1%, at 805.04. Focus shifts to a US inflation reading this afternoon.Īmong London stocks, shares in NCC slumped on a profit warning, while a deal for US firm UnitedHealth to acquire Emis will face a deeper UK probe. (Alliance News) - European markets were on the rise early Friday afternoon after eurozone inflation data failed to spring any negative surprise.Ī slight, but expected, uptick in core inflation suggests there is still work for the European Central Bank to do, however.

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