Financial spreadbetters expected Britain's FTSE 100 to open 15 to 18 points lower, or as much as 0.3 percent, Germany's DAX to open 15 to 18 points lower, or as much as 0.2 percent, and France's CAC 40 to open 13 to 18 points lower, or as much as 0.5 percent.
A rally in U.S. stocks faded in late trade on Thursday and other assets that depend on the economic cycle, such as copper, also edged lower on Friday in a sign investors' sentiment towards growth remained subdued .
The euro zone blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 equity index rose 1.2 percent on Thursday, rebounding from technical support in the 2,450 area, corresponding to its most recent low in late September, but was still poised for a weekly loss.
The index was down 4.1 percent from a six-month high hit in mid-September, when intervention pledges by the European Central Bank to help debt-laden countries had fuelled a 26 percent rally from late July.
Spain's hesitance to apply for a bailout, which would pave the way for the ECB intervention, has since unnerved investors, who have turned their focus to the bleak outlook for the European economy and corporate profits in the upcoming reporting season.
Euro zone industrial output figures, due at 0900 GMT, were forecast to show factories in the region cut output by 0.4 percent in August from the previous month, according to a Reuters poll, although market expectations for a stronger reading were rising after estimate-beating figures from individual countries
earlier this week.
Investor focus was likely to shift to the United States later in the day, when banks JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo unveil third-quarter results at 1000 GMT and 1100 GMT, respectively.
"For the day ahead, attention will likely shift to the U.S. earnings reports, with JP Morgan and Wells Fargo in focus while uncertainty about the Spanish bailout will remain as a significant downside risk in Eurozone, leaving sentiment cautious," Credit Agricole says in a note.
"Eurozone industrial production will likely print a better outcome than we expected one week ago for August." Credit Agricole expects the reading to show a 0.8 percent rebound month on month.
Among European companies due to report results on Friday, Belgian medical equipment supplies company Arseus was expected to post a 4.3 percent rise in third-quarter net sales, according to a Reuters survey.
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