Risk pushed European markets to higher ground

FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - Increasing risk appetite has extended its momentum to the European markets, the euro and the high-beta currencies. Improvement in risk trends has kicked in early in the Asian session, after positive data out of the manufacturing PMI in China encouraged investors to increase their exposure in riskier assets.
Optimism has grown bigger later, after PMI prints in the euro zone were showing better readings in the euro bloc, although the core members still remain in contraction territory (below the 50 threshold).
The Spanish IBEX35 led the gains, advancing 0.90% for the day, followed by the DAX 0.84% and the FTSE100 0.68%.

The single currency continues its relentless march north, consolidating gains far above the psychological mark at 1.2800 and hitting the 1.2900 figure during the European afternoon. The two-day EU Summit will start later, and promises to be a key event for the euro along with the elections in Catalonia on Sunday and the EU finmin gathering on Monday. As of writing, the euro is advancing 0.29% against the greenback, at 1.2867

The greenback, measured by the US Dollar Index, has traded in red since the very beginning of the session, dragged lower by the risk sentiment, although it's been paring losses after bottoming in the 80.65 region. At the moment is down 0.14% at 80.84

Markets in the US are closed due to the Thanksgiving Day.