European stocks traded lower on Friday as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions curbed investors' appetite for riskier assets.
Investors also watched the latest British political developments after early results from nationwide elections suggested a historic drubbing for Prime Minister Keir Starer's Labor Party and sweeping gains for the hard-right Reform U.K. party of Nigel Farage.
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Market Analysis
May 08, 2026 15:50 ET Manufacturing and services sector survey results and labor market data from main economies were the highlight on the economics news front this week. Factory orders and jobs report dominated the news flow in the U.S. Similarly, industrial production data from German garnered attention in Europe. In Asia, purchasing managers’ survey results from China and the central bank decision from Australia were in focus.