European stocks head for their best weekly performance since ‎November

European stocks rose today, Friday, on their way to achieving the best weekly performance since November, with the decline in natural gas futures contracts and the release of positive economic data, while investors await inflation data in the euro zone.

According to “Reuters”, the Stoxx 600 index of European shares rose 0.1 percent by 0815 GMT, bringing its weekly gains to 3.4 percent so far.

All eyes are on inflation data in the eurozone for December, due at 1000 GMT, as economists expect prices to fall on an annual basis for the second month in a row.

Shell rose 0.4 percent after the company said profits from its natural gas business likely rose significantly in the fourth quarter of last year.

The energy sector index gained 0.6 percent as crude prices rose, thanks to hopes for a recovery in demand from China and data showing a decrease in fuel stocks in the United States after a winter storm that swept the country late last year.