BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- European drugmakers led sector stocks higher early Friday, with shares of U.K. pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca plc (AZN 47.13, +1.51, +3.30%) at the forefront. The NYSE Pharmaceutical Index (DRG 315.46, +4.25, +1.37%) rose 1.3% to 315.30 and the NYSE Biotechnology Index (BTK 917.49, +10.28, +1.13%) climbed 1.4% to 919.84. Shares of AstraZeneca were up 3% at $47.12.