Stocks in Europe rise amid gains

Stocks in Europe rose on Friday, as market participants reacted to another flurry of corporate gains.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally up 0.19% during afternoon deals, with most sectors and major bourses in positive territory.

Europe’s media stocks led the gains, up 1.65% amid earnings news. Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES was the top performer, surging to the top of the European benchmark after the company said it had maintained its full-year outlook. Shares of the firm jumped 7.75%.

Meanwhile, oil and gas stocks slipped 1.58%, as U.S. oil prices fell and the market retreated from its strongest bull-run in at least a year. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil was trading at less than $63 on Friday afternoon, down more than 3%. International benchmark Brent crude was also down more than 3%.

Looking at individual stocks, Deutsche Bank posted stronger-than-anticipated first-quarter net profit Friday morning. Germany’s flagship lender reported 201 million euros ($223 million) in net income for the first three months of the year.

The figures came less than 24 hours after bank formally abandoned merger talks with Commerzbank. Shares of Deutsche bank slipped 2.09%.

France’s Sopra Steria said revenue rose approximately 10% in the first three months of the year, citing a buoyant market for digital services in Europe. The Paris-listed stock rose toward the top of the European benchmark on the news, with shares up more than 7.6%.

Skanska tumbled toward the bottom of the index Friday afternoon, after the Swedish builder posted a surprise fall in first-quarter operating earnings. Profit at its commercial development operations slumped in the first three months of the year, prompting shares to fall 4.53%.