Europe's main stock markets diverged on Friday, with London higher as traders lean toward Scotland remaining in Britain following next week's landmark referendum on independence.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed 0.20 percent to stand at 6,812.95 points in midday deals.
Frankfurt's DAX 30 index fell 0.24 percent to 9,668.19 points and the CAC 40 in Paris eased 0.09 percent to 4,437.05 compared with Thursday's close.
The region's indices had ended lower on Thursday, weighed down by jitters over the upcoming referendum on Scottish independence and the impact of fresh EU sanctions against Russia, traders said.
The ruble slumped to 37.72 against the dollar, a day after hitting 37.57 on Thursday.
Tokyo stocks gained 0.25 percent to close at a fresh eight-month high on Friday as the yen lost more ground against the dollar. US stocks finished little changed on Thursday.
In Britain on Friday, campaigners for and against Scotland's independence focused their efforts on Glasgow as separatist leader Alex Salmond said he was confident of victory despite a new poll showing the pro-UK campaign recovering lost ground.
As Salmond set out on a flying tour round Scotland's cities, pollsters warned the tide might be turning against him ahead of Thursday's knife-edge vote.
The new survey was published after a string of major banks issued market advisories on their contingency plans in the event of independence, suggesting they may move their headquarters to England.
"The FTSE and the pound are being well supported... after the latest YouGov poll showed a U-turn in the voting on Scottish independence with 52 percent of people saying they would vote 'No'," said Craig Erlam, market analyst at Alpari trading group.
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland rose 1.0 percent to 349.6 pence in Friday trading, although it was outperformed by British rival Barclays, which jumped 2.0 percent to 230.15 pence after announcing the appointment of a new chairman.
In Paris, shares in EDF fell by 2.56 percent to 25.17 euros after the State Council ruled against the company's request that a freeze on electricity prices be lifted.
- Sterling rallies -
In foreign exchange trade, the pound rose to $1.6255 from $1.6246 late in New York on Thursday, continuing its fightback from 10-month lows reached earlier this week on concerns surrounding the impact of Scottish independence on the British currency.
The euro fell to 79.51 pence versus 79.58 pence on Thursday.
The European single currency eased to $1.2925 from $1.2929 on Thursday. The euro had hit 14-month lows against the US currency this week in the wake of the European Central Bank's recent decision to cut the eurozone's key interest rate.
Industrial output in the eurozone rose one percent in July, official data showed on Friday, offering a rare glimmer of positive news to a single-currency economy struggling with stagnating growth and low inflation.
On the London Bullion Market, gold hit a fresh seven-month trough at $1,232.30 an ounce Friday -- hit by a strengthening dollar. It later recovered to $1,235.42, which was nevertheless lower compared with $1,241.25 late Thursday.