European stocks slip before US jobs report amid oil worries

Business Sep 04, 2026

European stocks edged down Friday as everyone waited for the big US jobs report, which could shake up interest rates.

Rising oil prices have markets worried about inflation again, and that weighed on sentiment too.

Germany's DAX was up 0.1%, while London's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%, while France's CAC 40 dropped a bit more.

Volkswagen jumps 6% on job cuts

Volkswagen shares jumped 6% after it revealed a major restructuring, cutting around 50,000 jobs to stay competitive in Europe's tough car market.

That gave the whole regional auto sector a lift in morning trading.

Meanwhile, oil prices spiked near $96 a barrel thanks to Middle East tensions, making inflation even trickier for central banks to handle.