Markets mixed after Paris attack

Markets were mixed on Friday.

The S&P 500 fell 0.3 percent, the STOXX Europe 600 was flat and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.7 percent.

Oil fell. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2.2 percent while Brent fell 1.9 percent.

Markets generally held up well on Friday after an attack in Paris on Thursday night that left a police officer as well as the assailant dead.

Nevertheless, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, noted that the attack could influence France's presidential election, increasing the likelihood “of a face-off between Marine Le Pen on the right and Melenchon on the left”, which “is unlikely to be well received by the markets”.

Markets were also possibly supported by an announcement by US President Donald Trump that he would be releasing a “massive tax cut” package next week.