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• Spain's PM Mariano Rajoy Denies Corruption Charges

  

  The Spanish PM has strongly denied claims that he and other members of the governing party received secret payments. "I have never received or distributed 'black money', it's false," he said, stressing that he would not resign.

• Inflation Nears ECB Goal Amid Record Joblessness

  

  Euro zone inflation fell to a two-year low as companies cut prices at a time of record joblessness, potentially giving the European Central Bank more scope to lower interest rates.

• European Markets Extend Gains 

  

  CNBC's Simon Hobbs reports on EU markets moved higher on Friday after the U.S. released its jobs report.

• Worst Not Over for Spain Banks After Big Writedowns

  

  Spain's largest banks have reported dismal results over the past 24 hours, hit by toxic real estate assets, and according to analysts, the results highlight the desperate need for Spain's banks to raise more capital.

• Denmark's Nokia Moment on $100 Billion Stock

  

  Denmark is facing its "Nokia moment"; drugmaker Novo Nordisk has ballooned into a $100 billion giant, dominating its home stock market just as the Finnish firm did at the height of the 1990s tech boom.

• Banks Slow Crisis Money Repayment to ECB

  

  Banks will pay back another 3.5 billion euros next week of the emergency 3-year loans they took from the European Central Bank a year ago, further deflating the ECB's balance sheet after they paid back a whopping 137 billion euros this week.

• Will Banks Lead the Market Lower?  

  

  Ashok Shah, CIO at London and Capital, tells CNBC that banks have been given a ¿free lunch¿ borrowing at very low cost in order to boost their profitability.

• Electrolux Q4 Profit Misses Forecasts, Europe Still Weak  

  

  Keith McLoughlin, CEO of Electrolux, tells CNBC that Western Europe consumer demand is weak as austerity measures take hold and they expect low demand in the first half.

• Could Europe's Banks Ignite Another Crisis? 

  

  Chris Wheeler, bank analyst at Mediobanca, tells CNBC that the big question is what state the balance sheets of European banks are in.

• German Stocks Still Find Love After Major Rally

  

  Germany's Dax index has risen 20 percent over the past year, reaching new five-year highs, even as the economy has slowed in recent months, but analysts say German stocks are still attractive because of the export potential of many of the companies.

• Credit Agricole Hit by 3.8 Billion Euros in Charges

  

  French bank Credit Agricole warned on Friday that its fourth quarter results would be battered by 3.8 billion euros ($5.16 billion) in charges as the French bank reels from ill-timed acquisitions from before the 2008 financial crisis.

• Less Is More for Louis Vuitton as It Pulls Expansion

  

  Louis Vuitton, the world's biggest luxury brand in terms of sales, is planning to dampen its expansion worldwide and focus on high-end products to preserve its exclusive image, said Bernard Arnault, chief executive of parent LVMH.

• European Markets Open Flat  

  

  Steve Sedgwick takes you through the European market open, where stocks have opened flat.

• Lawson Urges Full Nationalization of RBS

  

  Nigel Lawson, former Tory chancellor, has urged George Osborne to fully nationalize the Royal Bank of Scotland, attacking the banking industry's bonus culture and what he says are its overrated "star" traders, the Financial Times reports.

• Barclays in Qatar Loan Probe

  

  UK authorities are probing an allegation that Barclays loaned Qatar money to invest in the bank as part of its cash call at the height of the financial crisis in 2008, which enabled the bank to avoid a UK government bailout.

• European Markets Close Lower 

  

  CNBC's Simon Hobbs reports on today's market action in Europe, as shares pared losses after a series of earnings weighed on market sentiment.

• Spain Stocks Brace as Short-Selling Ban Ends

  

  Spain's short-selling ban came to an end on Thursday but analysts say that although the lifting of the ban is a sign of improved sentiment, further downward pressure should be expected in the coming weeks.

• Germany Slowdown? Not Anymore, Say Analysts

  

  After a slowdown in the fourth quarter of 2012, Germany's economy seems to be getting back on track and some analysts now believe Europe's largest economy will go from strength to strength in 2013.

• Start the 'Rocky' Music—Structured Finance Is Back

  

  Structured finance deals of a type last seen before the financial crisis are set to come back in 2013, according to market experts, signaling a return to the credit boom in 2004.

• ‘It's Horrible Here,’ UK May Tell EU Migrants

  

  There are hardly any jobs, generally low wages and it rains all the time: Not the usual picture that a country wants to portray of its culture or economy. However, U.K politicians are considering launching a negative publicity campaign in Eastern Europe to deter potential migrants from coming to the U.K. in search of jobs.