On Friday European stocks gained as investors awaited a US payrolls report that’s forecast to indicate the recovery of the world’s largest economy is on track. US index futures rose and Asian shares were little changed.

Bank of Ireland Plc surged 40% as it outlined plans to avoid state control after being ordered to raise 5.2 billion euros of capital following a stress test. Barclays Plc climbed 3.9% as Ireland ruled out forcing bondholders to share the cost of rescuing its lenders. Deutsche Boerse AG slid 3% after Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. and IntercontinentalExchange Inc. offered to buy NYSE Euronext.

Manufacturing in the U.S. may have expanded at about the same pace as in February, the strongest month in almost seven years, a report from the Tempe, Arizona-based Institute for Supply Management due at 10 a.m. New York time may show.

European stocks rallied on their first session of the quarter, as investors bet that a strong reading of U.S. payrolls would eclipse recent jitters over the euro zone debt crisis and violence in the Arab world. The benchmark index ended the hectic first quarter with a tiny gain of 0.3%.

Irish financial stocks were in the spotlight, after Ireland put a 70-billion-euro price on protecting its banks from future shocks on Thursday and promised a radical overhaul of the sector.

Most Asian stocks advanced after raw material producers climbed and as growth in China’s manufacturing activity eased concern that monetary-policy tightening will slow its economic expansion.

Japan's Nikkei average began a new financial year with a small loss, running out of steam after bumping into key technical resistance, and more losses are expected in the near term as companies are likely to lower their profit outlooks after last month's earthquake.