Investors Awaiting Bernanke Speech

Upcoming Fed Chairman speech not expected to reveal more QE

(Reuters)—European shares, the euro and oil ticked up in choppy trade on Friday as investors braced for a speech by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that could offer clues on the central bank's next policy steps.

The riskier assets were largely recovering from modest falls this week ahead of Bernanke's address to the annual Jackson Hole meeting of central bankers, with few in the market expecting the Fed chief to signal anything major, such as a third round of quantitative easing (QE) or bond buying.