European stock markets were mostly lower in midday trading Friday.

London's Financial Times 100 index was down slightly , to 5,855. The CAC-40 in Paris was down three-tenths of a percent , to 3,868. And the DAX in Frankfurt was up two-tenths of a percent , at 7,175.

The S&P futures contract was down four points, indicating a lower opening for U.S. markets.

In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index gained half a percent , to close at 9,514.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped eight-tenths of a percent , to end at 22,420.

Gold was trading at $1,541.75 an ounce.

The U.S. dollar slipped against other major currencies.