European stocks edged higher on Friday, with the Stoxx 50 gaining 0.4% after five consecutive sessions of losses as global government bonds stabilized following two volatile trading days. A softer US dollar supported gold prices, helping basic-resources shares lead sectoral gains. ASML Holding and Banco Santander each advanced more than 1%, while L’Oréal fell over 0.5%. Investors assessed mixed French economic data: manufacturing activity returned to growth and exceeded expectations, but services contracted more sharply than anticipated. Oil prices edged lower as markets continued to evaluate the prolonged US-Iran conflict, including its potential effects on energy supplies and inflation. Despite the recovery, European equities remained on course for a weekly decline amid geopolitical uncertainty, elevated bond yields and concerns about the outlook for monetary policy.