European stock markets were lower in midday trading Friday.

London’s Financial Times 100 index was down slightly , to 5,842. The CAC-40 in Paris was down four-tenths of a percent , to 3,736. And the DAX in Frankfurt was down three-tenths of a percent , at 7,195.

The S&P futures contract was up one point, indicating a slightly higher opening for U.S. markets.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei index gained four-tenths of a percent , to close at 9,974.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost three-tenths of a percent , to end at 21,875.

Gold was trading at $1,580.68 an ounce.

The U.S. dollar rose slightly against other major currencies.