Global stock markets were lackluster Friday on lingering concerns about the slump in oil prices and uncertain prospects for the global economy, AP reported. France's CAC 40 was up 0.2 percent to 4,249.77 and Germany's DAX fell 0.3 percent in early trading to 9,436.93. Britain's FTSE 100 inched up 0.2 percent to 5,983.07. U.S. shares were set to post modest gains. Dow and S&P 500 futures both rose 0.3 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 1.4 percent to finish at 15,967.17. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 inched down 0.8 percent to 4,952.80. South Korea's Kospi added 0.4 percent to 1,916.24. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.4 percent to 19,285.50 and the Shanghai Composite in mainland China inched down 0.1 percent to 2,860.02. Some other regional markets, including the Philippines and Indonesia, fell, but shares were slightly higher in Singapore. Benchmark U.S. crude was down 22 cents to $30.55 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, was unchanged at $34.28 a barrel. The euro fell to $1.1122 from $1.1144 on Thursday. The dollar fell to 112.99 yen from 113.09 yen.
