European stocks close slightly higher as Trump takes hit at China

European stock markets closed narrowly in the green on Friday, with sectors spread between losses and gains.

The Stoxx 600 index finished 0.1% higher after two sessions of declines. Investment manager M&G was the top performer, up 5% following news that Japan’s Dai-ichi Life has taken a 15% stake in the business as part of a strategic partnership.

For global investors, it’s been yet another week dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump and tariffs.

Among the biggest developments have been a federal trade court’s blocking of Trump’s universal reciprocal tariff policy late on Wednesday, which itself was then temporarily overturned on Thursday; Trump’s accusation that China violated its preliminary trade agreement with the U.S., reigniting trade war fears; and market concerns over sweeping changes to the tax treatment of foreign capital in the U.S.

Items on the agenda next week include figures for euro zone inflation, the European Central Bank’s monetary policy meeting, and Europe’s largest gathering of the private equity sector at SuperReturn in Berlin.