On Friday European stocks pared their losses as the region’s central bank was said to buy sovereign bonds for the fifth straight day, even as Germany and France differed over the monetary authority’s role in ending the debt crisis. U.S. index futures climbed and Asian shares fell.

The benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index lost less than 0.1 percent in London. The gauge has retreated 2.9 percent this week as Italian and Spanish borrowing costs surged and Germany and France differed on the role of the European Central Bank in ending the crisis.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos won approval for the final 2012 budget designed to regain the confidence of creditors and secure resumption of international financing.

In Italy, Prime Minister Mario Monti faces a final confidence vote in his new government today after vowing to attack the euro-region’s second-biggest debt and spur growth in its third-largest economy.

Around Europe, the UK’s FTSE 100 index was down 0.3 percent, dragged down by miners, Germany’s DAX index up 0.6 percent, and France’s CAC 40 was up 0.2 percent. So far this year, the FTSE 100 is down around 8 percent, the DAX is down 16 percent and the CAC 40 is down 21 percent.

After tumbling to a 2-1/2 year low in late September, European stocks bounced back with the Euro STOXX 50 gaining as much as 30 percent but the recovery rally has been stalled this month by mounting fears over the finances of Greece and Italy and the risk of contagion to France and Spain.

Japanese stocks fell as auto parts makers slid on a rating downgrade for the industry, and after a Chinese regulator was said to warn loans to property developers will likely sour as sales slow.