In initial deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index advanced 0.6 percent to 7,252.38 points.

In the eurozone, the Paris CAC 40 index gained 0.8 percent to 5,353.50 points and Frankfurt's DAX 30 jumped 1.1 percent to 12,105.28, compared with Thursday's closing levels.

The United States has ramped up punitive duties on $200 billion in imports from China from 10 to 25 percent, in a major escalation of the bitter trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

"Trump was true to his word," said analyst Neil Wilson at British-based trading site Markets.com.

"This marks a sharp escalation in the trade spat, but it's not gone nuclear yet."