Investing.com – European stocks declined on Wednesday, while U.S. futures indices pointed to a lower open on Wall Street, amid fears over a slowdown in the rate of global growth ahead of key U.S. data.
During European afternoon trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.65%; France’s CAC 40 decreased 0.75% and Germany's DAX shed 0.34%.
In the financial sector, insurers emerged as the worst performers. Shares in Dutch insurer Aegon N.V. fell 2.76% while shares in ING Group shed 0.95%.
Meanwhile, Belgian insurance group, Ageas rose 3.14%, after the company reported that cash flow increased 22% in the first half, after it booked a tax benefit a year earlier.
In London, the commodity heavy FTSE 100 was down 0.63% as energy stocks led losses. Shares in British Petroleum fell 1.83%, shares in Petrofac fell 2.62% while shares in Tullow oil tumbled 5.78%
Crude oil prices meanwhile gained 0.06% to hit USD 71.56 a barrel, ahead of a report by the U.S. Department of Energy on crude oil inventories later in the day.
The outlook for U.S. equity markets, meanwhile, was pessimistic: Dow Jones Industrial Average futures indicated a loss of 0.18%, S&P 500 futures pointed to a drop of 0.19% and Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a decrease of 0.31%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release key data on durable goods orders, as well as data on new home sales.
During European afternoon trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.65%; France’s CAC 40 decreased 0.75% and Germany's DAX shed 0.34%.
In the financial sector, insurers emerged as the worst performers. Shares in Dutch insurer Aegon N.V. fell 2.76% while shares in ING Group shed 0.95%.
Meanwhile, Belgian insurance group, Ageas rose 3.14%, after the company reported that cash flow increased 22% in the first half, after it booked a tax benefit a year earlier.
In London, the commodity heavy FTSE 100 was down 0.63% as energy stocks led losses. Shares in British Petroleum fell 1.83%, shares in Petrofac fell 2.62% while shares in Tullow oil tumbled 5.78%
Crude oil prices meanwhile gained 0.06% to hit USD 71.56 a barrel, ahead of a report by the U.S. Department of Energy on crude oil inventories later in the day.
The outlook for U.S. equity markets, meanwhile, was pessimistic: Dow Jones Industrial Average futures indicated a loss of 0.18%, S&P 500 futures pointed to a drop of 0.19% and Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a decrease of 0.31%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release key data on durable goods orders, as well as data on new home sales.