Europe to open mixed as Greece weighs

European markets are expected to open to mixed trade Friday as markets become increasingly nervous about the escalating crisis over Greece.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told Reuters on Thursday he was "firmly optimistic" his government would reach an agreement with its creditors by the end of April despite friction over issues such as pension and labor reform.

The Eurogroup of finance ministers is due to meet on April 24 to discuss reforms in return for aid but some officials, like German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, remain skeptical the meeting can yield results.

Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, met U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday, and is due to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew on Friday, along with European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and International Monetary Fund officials.

There were rumors Greece could ask the IMF for an extension to its debt repayment schedule but IMF managing director Christine Lagarde ruled that out Thursday.

In Asia, equities traded mixed on Friday after a soft finish on Wall Street soured sentiment, but China's Shanghai Composite index continued its bull run to clinch a new multi-year high.

In business news, a top-level Volkswagen committee meeting to try to resolve a leadership crisis caused by a rift between its chief executive and chairman ended after less than three hours Thursday but VW said the results would not be made public, Reuters reported

In U.K. news, a snap opinion poll declared opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband the winner of the final TV debate of a knife-edge British election campaign on Thursday, Reuters reported. Prime Minister David Cameron didn't take part, however. U.K. unemployment data is due Friday.