French stocks leapt by the most in seven weeks Thursday, ending higher as gains for Publicis Groupe SA and Pernod Ricard SA helped relieve pressure from concerns over the outcome of Sunday's first-round presidential election vote. The pan-European index was held back by declines in the oil and gas and utility sectors, but the industrial, financial and technology groups printed gains.

The stock market ended with solid gains Thursday, with the Nasdaq closing at a record, as investors welcomed a deluge of stronger-than-expected corporate earnings reports and economic data. Comments by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said that President Donald Trump's tax overhaul plans aren't linked to the outcome of a health care bill, also bolstered sentiment, analysts said.

Stock markets across Asia were higher early Friday, catching an updraft from overnight gains in the U.S. as investors positioned themselves ahead of the start of the French presidential election. Markets were calm following a suspected terrorist attack in Paris overnight that left at least one police officer dead, three days before the election.