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The main European equity benchmarks ended on a high note Friday after the US revealed the creation of more jobs.

The Labor Department said payrolls rose by 155,000 workers last month, calming investors' nerves and bringing global stocks higher.

The unemployment rate stayed at 7.8% after the November figure was revised up from a previously reported 7.7%.

The news followed the release of the Federal Open Market Committee minutes on the $85bn monthly bond-purchase program.

Policy makers seemed divided over how long the program should last. Some put forward the possibility of halting its current bond repurchase program towards the middle of the year.

Spain taps pension fund

Spanish authorities have been employing the state's pension reserve fund as a last ditch buyer of sovereign bonds, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The move raises questions over the role of the Social Security Reserve Fund as a guarantor of future pension payouts, the newspaper said.

Spanish debt has been paid by at least 90% of the €65bn fund, according to official figures, and the government is now taking out cash for emergency payments.

It comes as Spain tackles a prolonged economic crisis.

Euro zone inflation unchanged

Euro zone inflation remained unchanged at 2.2% in the year to December, according Eurostat statistics.

The inflation across the 17 European Union countries holds just above the European Central Bank's (ECB) target of keeping the annual rate of price rises under 2%.

The ECB will make its monthly decision regarding interest rates and wider monetary policy next week.

Ortac Resources lifts market

Ortac Resources lifted 22.82% to a mid of 0.635p, showing a trend of major gold companies, according to broker Seymour Pierce.

Investors were focusing on the potential of gold production from the Šturec Gold Deposit in Slovakia where the results of the pre-feasibility are due this quarter.

BMW said its US December sales rose 34.8% to 43,855 vehicles. The German automobile manufacturer's shares were up 0.90% to €50.34.

Bankia, the lender that received the largest Spanish bailout, was the highest gain on the Stoxx 600 as it rose 20% to €49.5.

Daimler´s US unit unveiled sales in December which came to a total of 31,372 vehicles, up 12% from the same month last year.

Euro climbs against dollar

The euro/dollar rose modestly at 0.02% to the 1.3051 dollar mark.

Front month Brent crude futures remained off by 1.145 dollars to the 110.87 dollar level.

RD

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