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| - World stock markets inched forwards Friday as European traders mulled Britain's increasingly acrimonious war dance with the EU. The Dow barely ticked up 0.2 shortly after the opening bell with the tech-heavy Nasdaq adding a half-percent. London's benchmark FTSE 100 had also added a half percent two hours out from the close with a stuttering sterling helping to boost share prices of the index's multinationals earning in dollars. Sterling was holding a low line after slumping across the week as sparring between Britain and the European Union raised the prospect they will not reach a post-Brexit trade agreement. "I wouldn't be surprised that after huffing and puffing, one of the two parties blink and agree to some compromise in the coming weeks. The pound could strengthen sharply if investors realise they have overreacted to this week's events, said Fawad Razaqzada of ThinkMarkets, describing sterling as a "downbeat currency" that is "limping." After Thursday's sterling selloff, the British unit was stable at $1.2802 to the dollar amid news the UK economy expanded 6.6 percent -- albeit still well off pre-coronavirus levels. "UK markets are making tentative gains... with a UK-Japan trade deal agreement providing a rare boost for sentiment in a week that has been dominated by pessimism," said Joshua Mahony, senior market analyst at IG trading group. Britain on Friday said it had secured its first major post-Brexit trade agreement -- a free trade deal with Japan -- amid bitter wranglings with the European Union. The Department for International Trade said the deal, which largely replicates the current EU-Japan deal, will be worth £15.2 billion ($19.5 billion, 16.5 billion euros). "Brexit is back in focus... hopes of a new US fiscal stimulus have faded even more alongside an uptick in jobless claims, meanwhile the EU has surpassed the US in new COVID-19 cases," said National Australia Bank's Rodrigo Catril. There was more disappointment from Washington after a $500 billion relief package -- aimed at the most pressing areas -- failed to pass the Senate, making a second round of much needed help for Americans unlikely any time soon. Democrats voted against the bill, meaning Republicans could not get the 60 votes needed to get it through, as they said it was too small to help people. The proposed amount was half of what Republicans had previously pushed for, and a quarter of the Democrats' plan. Elsewhere, European stock market operator Euronext is in negotiations with the London Stock Exchange Group to buy the Milan stock market, the companies announced Friday. LSEG is prepared to sell the Milan exchange to win approval by the EU Commission of its planned purchase of US financial data provider Refinitiv. Euronext operates the exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Oslo and Paris. In Asia, a $2-billion-plus deal for a South Korean property developer to take over loss-making Asiana Airlines collapsed Friday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with state-owned banks mounting a bailout to try to save 9,000 jobs. New York - Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 27,578.50 London - FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 6,031.42 points Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 0.4 percent at 13,160.98 Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.1 percent at 5,016.31 EURO STOXX 50: FLAT 0.1 percent at 3,312.35 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.8 percent at 23,406.49 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.8 percent at 24,503.31 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.8 percent at 3,260.35 (close) Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2802 from $1.2805 at 2110 GMT Euro/pound: UP at 92.60 pence from 92.26 pence Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1855 from $1.1868 Dollar/yen: UP at 106.15 yen from 106.13 yen West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $37.15 per barrel Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.8 percent at $39.75 per barrel dan-bcp/rfj/cdw
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