Europe`s stock markets diverged in opening deals on Friday, as investors cautiously awaited key US non-farm payrolls data.
Sentiment was also subdued one day after the European Central Bank revealed it will launch its 1.1-trillion-euro (USD 1.2-trillion)quantitative easing (QE) stimulus programme next week.
In initial trade, London`s benchmark FTSE 100 index dipped 0.16 percent to 6,949.75 points and the CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.20 percent to 4,953.68.
On the upside, Frankfurt`s DAX 30 rose 0.08 percent to 11,513.89 points compared with Thursday`s closing level.
The euro meanwhile held near 11-year dollar lows that were hit Thursday on the ECB news.
"After yesterday`s unleashing of QE by the ECB, the bulls had a nice rally off the back of it but as usual, there`s a little trepidation ahead of the big (US) jobs figure," said dealer Jonathan Sudaria at London Capital Group.
Focus is now on Friday`s US non-farm payrolls figures.
Analysts expect growth of 240,000 jobs in February and a fall in the unemployment rate to 5.6 percent from 5.7 percent.
On Thursday, ECB chief Mario Draghi told a news conference that from Monday the bank would buy 60 billion euros (USD 66 billion) of private and public bonds each month for at least 18 months in a bid to ward off deflation.
He also said it had increased its 2015 eurozone growth forecast to 1.5 percent, followed by 1.9 percent in 2016 and 2.1 percent in 2017.
At the same time he forecast inflation at zero this year, lower than previously projected, but added it would pick up to 1.5 percent next year and to 1.8 percent in 2017.
