European stocks rise at opening markets

London - Europe's main stock markets rose in opening deals on Friday, after news that France and Germany have both narrowly avoided a new recession.

In initial trade, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index of top companies won 0.26% to 9 272.36 points and the CAC 40 in Paris added 0.48% to 4 208.11.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index meanwhile gained 0.11% to 6 642.69 points compared with Thursday's closing value.

The German economy - Europe's biggest - expanded by 0.1% in the period from July to September, after shrinking by 0.1% in the preceding three months, official data showed.

And the French economy grew 0.3% in the third quarter, following a contraction of 0.1% in the second quarter, separate data showed.

The technical definition of a recession is two successive quarters of falling economic output.