European stocks finished with modest losses Friday, led by a sharp drop in U.K. stocks that followed signs that the Bank of England is getting ready to hike interest rates soon. The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, -0.28% ended 0.3% lower at 380.71, after closing at its highest level since Aug. 8 on Thursday.

U.S. stock benchmarks finished in the green on Friday, posting sharp weekly gains, with a big assist from rallying telecommunication and bank shares as Wall Street shook off North Korea's latest missile launch. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.29% rose 64.86 points, to 0.3%, to close at 22,268.34, logging its fourth straight record close and its sixth consecutive day of gains.

Asia-Pacific equity markets were higher early Monday, with Australia's benchmark index rebounding from three straight sessions of declines, led by strength in financial stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Friday posted its biggest weekly gain of the year.