Market Overview

European stock markets experienced a downturn on Friday, with investor sentiment dampened by disappointing economic data. The Eurozone's consumer confidence index fell to negative 14.5 in March, highlighting ongoing concerns about the region's economic health.

Key Movers and Shakers

The FTSE 100 saw a 0.53% decrease, with JD Sports Fashion leading the decline at 5.09%. Germany's DAX dropped by 0.64%, largely due to a 3.4% fall in Zalando's shares. France's CAC 40 wasn't spared either, losing 0.56%, with Teleperformance being the biggest loser at a 2.35% decrease. The Eurostoxx 50 also fell by 0.58%, with Nordea Bank experiencing a significant 7.19% drop.

Currency Movements

In currency markets, the euro weakened by 0.29% against the dollar, trading at 1.08217. The British pound also lost ground, decreasing by 0.40% to 1.29145 by 5:40 pm CET.