UK stocks rise after torrid week

UK stock markets rose in early trading on Friday, after a turbulent week for markets.

The FTSE 100 index of the UK’s largest companies was about 1% higher at the start of the session.

It follows a torrid week in which stock markets around the world have swung significantly between gains and losses.

Markets have been volatile as global political and economic uncertainty continues to haunt investors.

In Germany and France, the DAX and CAC indices also rose at the start of trading, each by about 0.7%.

The European gains come after an Asian trading session that was steadier than in recent days.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed down 0.31% at 20,014.77, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stayed fairly flat, at 25,504.20.

Overnight, the Dow Jones – which fell by more than 500 points or 1.8% earlier on Thursday – finished 1.1% up.

The S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq also rallied by the end of the Thursday’s trading day.

The earlier sell-off was sparked by weak US consumer confidence data for December. However, analysts had cautioned that volatile share price movements were exacerbated by thin holiday trading.

Concerns about US-China trade tensions also resurfaced, with reports saying US President Donald Trump is considering an executive order banning the use of Chinese technology.