US and Japanese leading indices rise

Markets were mixed on Friday. The STOXX Europe 600 Index rose 0.2 percent but the S&P 500 fell less than 0.1 percent from its record high closing on Thursday as the US Dollar Index rose for a 10th straight week, the longest since at least March 1967.

Notwithstanding the decline in US stocks on Friday, the US economy is likely to continue to grow in the next few months. A report on Friday showed that the Conference Board's US leading economic index rose 0.2 percent in August after having risen 1.1 percent in July.

Japan's economy also appears likely to maintain growth. Another report on Friday showed that Japan's leading index rose to 105.4 in July -- down from an initial estimate of 106.5 -- from 104.7 in June. The coincident index was unrevised at 109.9, up from 109.3 in June.