Strong quarter results boost sentiment pushing European stocks higher

European shares edged up on Friday as a fresh batch of earnings for the fourth quarter and sign the China/U.S. trade talks were successfully helped keep investors risk-on despite a dismal survey on Chinese factory activity.

At 0824 GMT, the STOXX 600 was up 0.2 per cent with most European bourses just slightly positive and most sectors also in the black. Electrolux was the clear top performer in early trading with forecast-beating profits sending shares in the home appliance maker up 8.6 per cent.

JCDecaux revenues also cheered investors, boosting the French company's shares about 7 per cent. There were mixed feelings about results in the banking sector, particularly in Spain with Caixabank falling 5.4 per cent on its 2018 results while fellow Spanish lenders Banco Sabadell and BBVA and were down 3.5 per cent and flat respectively.

In Germany Deutsche Bank lost another 2.8 per cent after its results, failing to recover after sinking during the last session on speculation of a possible merger with rival Commerzbank. On a more optimistic note, Danske Bank, under investigation for suspicious payments through its Estonian branch, rose close to 4 per cent as it unveiled new efforts to step up anti-money laundering efforts via investments of up to 2 billion euros ($2.29 billion).