(MENAFN- AFP) Europe's main stock markets diverged Friday as dealers awaited news on a deal over Greece's finances next week, while tracking unrest in Yemen.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index fell 0.36 percent to stand at 6,870.24 points in midday deals.
Frankfurt's DAX 30 rose 0.65 percent to 11,920.80 points and the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.58 percent to 5,035.21 compared with the close on Thursday.
The euro dropped to $1.0856 from $1.0884 late in New York on Thursday.
Focus remained on Greece, as Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann says he is opposed to giving the troubled eurozone country more emergency loans, charging the new government in Athens with frittering away a lot of trust.
Greece is currently trying to reach a long-awaited accord with its creditors providing funds vital to avert a state default.
"Greece is still worrying the euro, as the market waits for a detailed list of reforms from the Greek government on Monday," said dealer Phil McHugh at trading firm Currencies Direct.
Greece's economy minister on Thursday said the country would next week reach a long-awaited accord with its creditors providing funds vital to avert a state default.
The country's new radical left government is in a race to reach an accord with its EU-IMF creditors by next month before state coffers run dry.
European stock markets had slid on Thursday as the escalation of the crisis in Yemen and suspicions a Germanwings co-pilot deliberately crashed the plane into the French Alps unnerved investors.
"Regardless of the minor movements (in stocks)... there is a sense of quiet on the markets following yesterday's relative bloodbath, suggesting that investors are struggling to comprehend the logical complexities that are dictating current prices," said Connor Campbell, analyst at Spreadex trading group.
"The FTSE continued to languish... as investors failed to get behind a recovery for the UK index, instead placing their confidence in the eurozone.
"Sustained losses for oil and copper meant that the FTSE's influential commodity sectors provided no relief for the UK index, with Anglo American, Tullow Oil and Lonmin amongst the big losers," Campbell added.
Asian markets were also mixed on Friday in edgy trade as investors tracked the crisis in Yemen, with fears that unrest in the country could turn into a wider Middle East conflict.
Wall Street provided another negative lead while the euro struggled after tumbling in New York on Thursday from levels above $1.10 as traders sought out safe investments.
Oil prices also fell on profit-taking after surging in recent days on fears the unrest in Yemen could disrupt supplies from major crude producers nearby.
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