European stocks rise at open; pound recovers

London - European stock markets firmed at the open on Friday, while the pound steadied versus the euro and rose against the dollar a day after Britain's currency was hammered by Brexit fears.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 0.5% to 7 071.59 points. The index had finished slightly higher on Thursday, as a sliding pound boosted share prices of multinationals.

Meanwhile in the eurozone on Friday, Frankfurt's DAX 30 added 0.1% to 11 425.80 points at the open and the Paris CAC 40 was up 0.7% to 5 068.64.

Sterling was up 0.4% at $1.2822, while one euro was worth 88.61 pence.

British Prime Minister Theresa May was on Friday battling on to salvage a draft Brexit deal and her political future after a series of government resignations rattled sterling.