Forex
FTSE 100 Stuck in Neutral Amid Oil Price Rally and US Jobs Report Uncertainty
The FTSE 100 index remained relatively flat on Friday despite higher oil prices and a firmer pound, as investors held back from making large bets ahead of the US jobs report.
Brent crude prices rose to near $96 a barrel, heading for its strongest weekly advance since mid-July due to renewed tensions between the US and Iran. This boosted the FTSE's energy-heavyweight names, but the broader index was capped by inflation and currency headwinds.
The only significant move in Europe came from Volkswagen, which jumped around 7% after its supervisory board backed a sweeping restructuring plan involving around 50,000 job cuts.