Adds new blog post

Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: HIGHER ON THE LATEST PEACE HOPES

European stock futures are pointing to a strong end to the week, buoyed by Middle East peace optimism after U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that a deal could be signed as soon as this weekend.

STOXX 50 futures STXEc1 are up 1.4%, while DAX FDXc1 and CAC FCEc1 futures up 1.3% and 1.4% respectively. FTSE futures FFIc1 are also 0.7% higher.

But of course, peace hopes are nothing new for markets at this point, and everyone has learned that they might vanish as quickly as they came.

Tensions still remained high around the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran said it had not made a final decision on a pact.

In corporate news, Venezuela signed five agreements with British oil major Shell SHEL.L to advance oil and gas projects, while Britain's medicine regulator approved Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO weight-loss pill on Thursday.

FanDuel-owner Flutter Entertainment FLTRF.L meanwhile said on Friday it would delist from the London Stock Exchange in August.

*****

EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL, ESPECIALLY FOR MARKETS (CLICK HERE)