European stocks were higher on Friday, as regional markets reopened after being closed for the Christmas holiday.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 the index was almost 0.4% higher at 11:42am London time, with most sectors and major bourses in positive territory.
Health care stocks were among those that led the gains on Friday, with the sector lifted by a 2% increase to New Nordiskand share price. The Danish pharmaceutical giant continued to recover from a massive sell-off that saw shares 20% fell in one session Last week.
Shares in oil tanker company Frontline also rose on Friday, gaining 3% by 11:47am London time. It comes as oil prices are on track for weekly gains and economic growth forecasts were for China, the world's largest oil importer updated by the World Bank among promises for more fiscal stimulus from Beijing.
Norwegian oil and gas company Vaar Energi also rose to the top of the Stoxx 600 index after adding 3.2%.
Swedish online gambling company Evolution saw gains of around 3.9%, recovering from losses seen earlier in the week after the company was placed under investigation with the UK Gambling Commission about links to unauthorized operators.
At the other end of the index, A delivery hero shed 5% after Taiwan's antitrust regulator on Wednesday blocked Uber's $950 million bid to acquire the company's Foodpanda business.
Elsewhere, investors are eyeing economic data out of China, where official figures showed business profits in the world's second-largest economy contract for the fourth consecutive month in November.
The data publication came a day after the World Bank he raised the growth projections for China in 2024 and 2025, but warned that the country's economy would remain under pressure, with muted business confidence and continued uncertainty in China's troubled real estate sector.
Markets were a mixed bag overnight in Asia, as traders reacted to the latest Chinese data print, as well as recent inflation numbers out of Japan. In Friday updateofficial figures showed that core inflation in the city of Tokyo was 3% in November, up from 2.6% in October.
