European stocks close: stocks closed higher on yesterday's comments by the Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen

Stock indices closed higher on yesterday's comments by the Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen. She said in a speech at the University of Massachusetts on Thursday that she expects that the Fed will start raising its interest rates by the end of the year, followed by a gradual pace of interest rate hikes.

"Most of my colleagues and I anticipate that it will likely be appropriate to raise the target range for the federal funds rate sometime later this year," she said.

Yellen noted that the inflation will rise toward the Fed's 2% target as low oil prices are temporary.

The Fed chairwoman also said that the slowdown in the global economy is not significant not to raise interest rates this year.

Meanwhile, the economic data from the Eurozone was mixed. The European Central Bank (ECB) released its M3 money supply figures on Friday. M3 money supply rose 4.8% in August from last year, missing expectations for a 5.3% gain, after a 5.3 % increase in July.

Loans to the private sector in the Eurozone climbed 1.0% in August from the last year, missing expectations for a 1.1% rise, after a 0.9% gain in July.

French statistical office INSEE released its consumer confidence index for France on Friday. French consumer confidence index climbed to 97 in September from 94 in August. It was the highest level since October 2007.

August's figure was revised up from 93.

Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged at 94.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,109.01 +147.52 +2.47 %

DAX 9,688.53 +260.89 +2.77 %

CAC 40 4,480.66 +133.42 +3.07 %