European stock markets waver at the open

European stock markets wavered at the open on Friday after a busy week of central bank interest rate decisions, numerous corporate results and economic data.

London's FTSE 100 index rose nearly 0.2 percent in the first few minutes of trading to 7,706.13 points.

The Paris CAC 40 fell 0.3 percent to 7,441.70 points despite data showing the French economy grew 0.5 percent in the second quarter, well above forecasts.


The Frankfurt DAX also shed 0.3 percent to 16,364.22 ahead of German GDP data amid concerns about the health of Europe's biggest economy.

The US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank raised interest rates again this week in their battles against inflation.

On Friday, the Bank of Japan eased its grip on its super-loose monetary policy.

A slew of companies have reported half-year or quarterly results, with energy firms posting a drop in profits as oil and gas prices have fallen while airlines are faring better as the post-Covid travel rebound gathers pace.