France extended curfews to around two thirds of its population and Belgium's foreign minister was taken into intensive care with COVID-19, as Europe's reported coronavirus cases more than doubled in 10 days.

Shares of Gilead Sciences Inc rose 6% on Friday after its antiviral drug, remdesivir, became the first and only approved treatment for COVID-19 in the United States.

The Moscow Exchange said on Friday it would offer access to shares and depositary receipts from an additional 20 international companies on Nov. 2, part of a wider drive to expand its foreign share offering.

* Refinitiv deal close expected in Q1, 2021 (Adds shares, background)

The London Stock Exchange said on Friday it expects to close its $27 billion purchase of data analystics firm Refinitiv in the first quarter of 2021 and posted a 2% increase in third-quarter total income.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir for treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19, making it the first and only drug approved for the disease in the United States.

The U.S. auto safety regulator said on Thursday it was closely watching Tesla Inc's release of a software version intended to allow its cars to drive themselves, saying it stood ready to protect the public against safety risks.

U.S. firm Syncapay Inc has bought the North American unit of German payments company Wirecard AG , Wirecard's insolvency administrator said on Thursday. The deal is backed by private investment management firm Centerbridge Partners, which is making a majority equity investment in Syncapay, and existing Syncapay shareholders like Bain Capital Ventures and Silversmith Capital Partners, the statement added.

* Multibillion-dollar contract was with U.S.-based NextDecade

* U.S. House Speaker Pelosi reports progress on stimulus talks