On Friday European stocks gained as better- than-estimated results at companies from Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc to Umicore SA offset declines at brewing companies. Asian stocks advanced, while US futures were little changed.

RBS rose 1.8 per cent after posting a profit for the first time since 2007 as impairments plunged. Umicore SA climbed 3.2 per cent as the world’s largest precious-metals recycler forecast full-year profit will surpass analysts’ estimates. Anheuser- Busch InBev NV led brewing companies lower as wheat traded close to the highest in almost two years.

German stocks advanced, with Allianz SE climbing after operating profit exceeded estimates, and ahead of the release of a report in the US which economists expect to show that company hiring is recovering slowly. The benchmark DAX Index rose 0.2 per cent. The measure rallied 3.1 per cent in July, its biggest gain since March, as demand at bond auctions in Greece, Spain and Portugal eased concern that Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis will derail the economic recovery. In the UK the FTSE 100 Index climbed 0.4 per cent, extending this week’s advance to 2.5 per cent.

Asian stocks rose, driving the MSCI Asia Pacific Index to its fifth weekly advance, as investor expectations of improving corporate earnings in the region overshadowed concerns that employment in the US will falter.

Most Japanese stocks rose, sending benchmark indexes to their third consecutive weekly advance, as lower vacancies boosted real-estate developers for a second day and companies reported higher earnings or forecasts. The Topix index, rose 0.5 per cent while the Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 0.1 per cent.

US stock-index futures were little changed as investors awaited a government payrolls report for indications on the strength of the economic recovery. The S&P 500 has risen 2.2 per cent so far this week. The benchmark gauge for US equities has climbed 10 per cent from this year’s low on the 2 July.