Every sector except telecoms positive on European Stoxx 600 during week

European markets closed higher Friday afternoon as investors took note of several data releases, including a U.S. jobs report. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended the week up 0.67 percent with every sector except telecoms in positive territory. All major bourses closed in the black, barely changed for the week, while the Stoxx 600 rose 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, in U.S. stocks moved higher despite a disappointing jobs report. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 156,000 in August, below expectations on 180,000.

In Europe, media was among the best performing sectors on earnings news and ratings upgrades. The French multinational Vivendi closed Friday 5.2 percent higher after presenting its second-quarter results. Basic resources were also higher on positive data from China. The Caixin China manufacturing PMI for August hit a six-month high of 51.6, topping analyst expectations.

In the UK, the manufacturing purchasing managers' index rose to a four-month high of 56.9 in August, beating forecasts. Across the euro zone, the purchasing managers' index for manufacturing confirmed an earlier reading of 57.4 for August.

Companies reported the strongest intake of new orders since May, bolstered by the weaker pound. The currency’s depreciation also contributed to purchase-price gains accelerating for the first time in seven months, though at a slower pace than seen at the start of the year.

U.S. employers added 156,000 jobs in August, and the nation’s unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4 percent, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. Meanwhile, average hourly pay for workers rose 2.5 percent from a year earlier, to $26.39 from $25.74.

The S&P 500 rose 1.4 percent for the week and ended August with a gain of less than 0.1 percent, the smallest increase since March though still the ninth advance in 10 months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 174 points over the five days, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rallied 2.7 percent to a record.

The Nikkei rose 1.2 percent, snapping a sixweek losing streak.