European markets gain, French political woes and U.S. jobs data in focus (EUR:USD)

London (UKX) +0.5%

Germany (DAX:IND) +0.4%

France (CAC:IND) +0.9%

The number of people registering as jobless in Spain fell by 16,036 people, or 0.6%, over a month, to 2.586 million in November, against market forecasts of a 29,300 increase.

Switzerland’s inflation rate, meanwhile, rose 0.7% year-on-year in November.