(ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets) Adds details, updates prices)
* STOXX 600 down 0.3 percent after hitting one-week high
* Volkswagen rises after 23,000 German job-cut deal
* Bank sector weighed down by weak Italy lenders
By Danilo Masoni
MILAN, Nov 18 (Reuters) - European shares wavered on Friday, with a strong dollar hitting miners but helping export-oriented auto stocks, while Volkswagen was further boosted after it stuck a deal to cut thousands of jobs.
The STOXX 600 fell 0.3 percent after rising earlier in the session to a one week high. The pan-European index was weighed down by weaker mining and energy stocks, which pulled back after strong gains on Thursday.
Auto stocks were broadly higher as the dollar rose to its highest level since 2003, powered by expectations of a rate increase in the U.S. next month and expectations of fiscal stimulus under Donald Trump's administration. FRX/
Volkswagen VOWG_p.DE rose 1 percent. Europe's biggest car maker unveiled a deal with unions to cut 23,000 jobs in Germany to help achieve 3.7 billion euros in annual savings by 2020 to turn around its core brand and help fund a shift to electric and self-driving cars following its emissions scandal. was pretty clear that Volkswagen has been working on such a plan. Nonetheless, it was unclear if the company would be able to reach an agreement with the unions... which is clearly good news," said Tim Schuldt, analyst at equinet Bank.
Investors, meanwhile, have turned more cautious in assessing the possible impact of Trump for European equities.
The STOXX 600 has risen 1.2 percent since the Republican outsider won, as expectations of fiscal stimulus under his administration propelled cyclical stocks, but falls in income stocks such as utilities have meant the index remains within the tight range it has been moving in for the past 16 weeks.
Europe's basic resources index .SXPP , which includes big London-listed miners, was the biggest sectoral loser, down 2 percent, following gains in the previous session. While hopes that Trump's infrastructure plans could boost demand for metals, their prices, which are denominated in dollars, have been hit by the surge in the U.S. currency. the construction sector, LafargeHolcim LHM.CS rose 2.4 percent after the building materials giant cut its mid-term profit outlook but sweetened the pill by saying it planned an improved payout for shareholders as well as 1 billion Swiss francs worth of share buybacks.
Among top losers were Italian banking sector stocks which have come under pressure because of jitters ahead of next month's referendum on constitutional reform which could unseat Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Banco Popolare BAPO.MI , UniCredit
Nibe Industrier NIBEb.ST was the biggest gainer on the STOXX, up 4.6 percent, after Kepler Cheuvreux raised its price target on the heat pump maker.