Stock indices closed higher, supported by comments by the European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi and the People's Bank of China's interest rate cut.

The European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi reiterated that the ECB is prepared to add further stimulus measures if needed. Investors speculate that the central bank is moving closer to launch the quantitative easing programme.

Draghi also said that inflation expectations were declining.

The People's Bank of China lowered unexpectedly its interest rate on Friday. China's central bank cut its one year deposit rate to 2.75% from 3.0%. That was the first cut since 2012. It is a try to revive the economy.

The one-year lending rate will also be lowered from 6% to 5.6%.

The changes come into effect on Saturday.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,750.76 +71.86 +1.08%

DAX 9,732.55 +248.58 +2.62%

CAC 40 4,347.23 +113.02 +2.67%

(company / ticker / price / change, % / volume)

Upgrades:

Downgrades:

Intel (INTC) downgraded to Sell from Underperform at Credit Agricole

Other:

Caterpillar Inc (CAT) initiated with a Buy at Stifel, target $122

Amazon.com (AMZN) initiated with a Buy Nomura

Intel (INTC) target raised from $36 to $39 at Stifel, from $35 to $35 at RBC Capital Mkts, from $36 to $40 at FBR Capital, from $34 to $36 at Cowen.

European stocks rose after a good start in early trading fuelled by ECB president Mario Draghi's hints at the European banking congress that more monetary easing could help European economy's recovery and that policy makers have to bring inflation back to target as fast as possible. Size, pace and composition of the economic stimulus can be adjusted. At the moment there are no indications that economic growth will increase significantly in the months to come, he further stated. The FTSE 100 index is currently trading +0.69% at 6,725.27 points, Germany's DAX 30 gained +1.59% trading at 9,634.79 points and France's CAC 40 is up +1.46% currently quoted at 4,295.87 points leaving them on course for weekly gains.

ECB president Mario Draghi just finished his speech at the European banking congress at Frankfurt. At the moment Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann is speaking. Mario Draghi stated that interest rates have reached a low but the ECB will do what is necessary to meet inflation targets if low inflation persists. Size, pace and composition of the economic stimulus can be adjusted. He said that growth outlook for the Eurozone remains weak in the months to come.

European stocks are trading higher in early trading after yesterday's disappointing preliminary data on manufacturing and service sector activity in France and Germany and the Eurozone fuelled expectations for further easing measures by the European Central Bank. Markets are awaiting the speeches of ECB president Mario Draghi who just finished and Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann at the European banking congress at Frankfurt starting at 08:00 GMT. Draghi stated that interest rates have reached a low but the ECB will do what is necessary to meet inflation targets. Size, pace and composition of the economic stimulus can be adjusted. At the moment there are no indications that economic growth will increase significantly.

The FTSE 100 index is currently trading higher at +0.40% at 6,705.86 points, Germany's DAX 30 is up +0.76% trading at 9,556.51 points and France's CAC 40 gained +0.62% currently quoted at 4,260.30 points. Markets found support in strong U.S. data published yesterday and rising Asian indices.

The DOW Jones and S&P 500 were trading higher in Thursday's trading session after better-than-expected data on the U.S. economy and despite weaker growth in China and the Eurozone. The DOW Jones closed at 17,719 at new record highs, a plus of +0.19% while the S&P500 edged up by +0.20% closing at 2,052.75 points and erasing early losses.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng trading +0.47% at 23,459.38 and China's Shanghai Composite closing at 2,487.11 points, a gain of 1.40%, edged up as speculations about the PBOC is going to inject money into the markets to prevent from a cash crunch. Yesterday's data showed a loss of momentum in China's economy as the preliminary HSBC Manufacturing PMI dropped to 50, a stall.

Japan's Nikkei closed with a gain of +0.33% at 17,357.51 points after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved parliament's lower house in order to hold snap elections in December.