· European markets are expected to open higher Friday, as earnings season and political turbulence in the region continues to dominate discussion.
Looking to the major bourses, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 is expected to open 30 points higher at 7,552, while the German DAX is set to start on a positive note, up 58 points at 13,047; and the French CAC up 22 points at 5,390, according to IG.
· Asian shares and the dollar gained on Friday after the U.S. Senate approved a budget blueprint for the 2018fiscal year that will pave the way for Republicans to pursue a tax-cut package without Democratic support.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS, which scaled a 10-year peak on Tuesday, was up 0.3 percent, but still down slightly for the week.
· Japan’s Nikkei share average rose for the 14th straight session on Friday to post its longest winning streak in over 50 years, as a weaker yen helped stocks recoup earlier losses
The Nikkei opened 0.3 percent lower but ended up 0.04 percent, or 9.12 points, at 21,457.64. That was enough to clinch its longest daily winning streak since 1961.
For the week, it gained 1.4 percent, its sixth straight weekly gain and the longest such winning streak in a year.
The Nikkei has advanced more than 5 percent over the past 14 days on hopes that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling coalition will win a general election on Oct. 22.
· Apple's shares fell more than 2.5 percent on Thursday as brokers and traders speculated over poor demand and cuts in production of iPhone 8, ahead of the November launch of the 10th anniversary iPhone X.
Analysts believe Apple is likely to focus more on iPhone X, which looks radically different with an edge-to-edge display, and will retail from $999, boosting the company's margins.
· Shanghai stocks eked out modest gains on Friday but ended the week lower, amid concerns China’s economy is losing momentum after official data showed growth slowing in the third quarter and property sales softening.
The Shanghai Composite Index added 0.3 percent to 3,378.65 points while the blue-chip CSI300 index fell 0.1percent to 3,926.85 points.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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