Europe close: Markets end the week just above the waterline

European shares finished flat on Friday, after investors shrugged off worries over higher currencies as luxury goods maker LVMH led risers with a strong trading statement.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 finished little changed at 400.79, with Germany’s DAX up 0.31% at 13,340.17 and the CAC 40 in Paris rising 0.87% to 5,529.15.

In Spain, the IBEX 35 was flat at 10,595.40, while in London the FTSE 100 was up 0.65% at 7,665.54 and the more domestically-focussed FTSE 250 added 0.46% to 20,615.58.

The dollar was lower against the pound and the euro, despite attempts by Trump to talk it in his own special way, telling CNBC: "The dollar is going to get stronger and stronger and ultimately I want to see a strong dollar."

A day earlier, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had said he welcomed a weaker US dollar which sparked a selloff.

The pound shot up on Friday morning as Carney said he could see a "conscious re-coupling" between the UK and the booming world economy and defended his gloomy Brexit predictions.

Sterling spiked on Friday morning, up 0.7% against the dollar at 1.4261, notching up highs not seen since before the Brexit referendum.

At last check, the pound was worth $1.4181, while the euro bought $1.2420.

In corporate news, luxury goods maker LVMH rose 4.9% after delivering better-than-expected sales growth in the fourth quarter as it sales in China provided a lift.

The French company said sales rose 11% between October and December on a like-for-like basis.

Sector peer Christian Dior rose in sympathy, with the shares up 4.66%.

AstraZeneca added 1.93% after saying it found a statistically significant improvement in eight out of nine lung patients as it tested its 'PT010' combination drug delivered with a pressurised metered-dose inhaler in late-stage clinical trials.

Shares in sports betting and gaming group GVC Holdings fell 2.8% after the company said it had made a provision of around €200m in its 2017 financial accounts after its Greek subsidiary received a €186.77m tax bill for 2010 and 2011.