Shares in Italy's Atlantia rose more than 3% on Friday after a report that leading investor Edizione and Blackstone could launch a bid for the Italian road and airport operator at around 24 euros per share around Easter.

The dollar extended a relentless upward move on Friday, reaching a new near two-year peak against a basket of peers and a one-month high versus the euro, supported by the prospect of a more aggressive pace of Federal Reserve interest rates hikes.

European shares jumped 1.2% in early trade on Friday, erasing losses for the week, while investors look to the first round of French presidential elections over the weekend with incumbent Emmanuel Macron's win no longer a foregone conclusion.

The dollar extended a squeeze higher on Friday, reaching a new near two-year peak against a basket of peers and a one-month high versus the euro, supported by the prospect of a more aggressive pace of Federal Reserve interest rates hikes.

Asset owners managing more than $10.4 trillion have urged governments not to let worries about security of fossil fuel supplies impede the transition to greener energy needed to limit catastrophic climate change.

French bank Credit Agricole said on Thursday it had bought a 9.2% stake in Italy's third-largest bank, Banco BPM.