By Sara Sjolin
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets moved higher in early action on Friday, with oil firms in the lead, as investors awaited monthly jobs data from the U.S. to hint of the health of the recovery in the country's labor market. The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.21% rose 0.2% to 279.49, adding to the prior day's gains, when it closed at a 2012 high. Oil firms posted some of the biggest gains, tracking oil prices higher. France's Total SA FR:FP +0.12% gained 0.5%, helping lift the CAC 40 index FR:PX1 +0.29% 0.3% to 3,613.21. In the U.K., shares of BG Group PLC UK:BG +0.61% added 0.3%, while shares of BP PLC UK:BP +0.04% gained 0.3%. The FTSE 100 index UK:UKX +0.08% traded 0.1% higher at 5,908.88. Germany's DAX 30 index DX:DAX +0.11% rose 0.2% to 7,549.49, with shares of Linde AG DE:LIN +0.70% 1.1% higher. Among other notable gainers in Europe, shares of Nokia Corp. FI:NOK1V +5.05% NOK -3.35% jumped 4.9%.
