Investing.com - European stocks slipped lower on Friday, as disappointing manufacturing data from Italy and Spain added to concerns over the worsening of the euro zone debt crisis, while markets were jittery ahead of key U.S. employment data later in the day.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.15%, France’s CAC 40 declined 0.22%, while Germany’s DAX 30 slipped 0.09%.
Markit research group said that Spain's manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell more-than-expected in October, ticking down to 43.5 from a reading 0f 44.6 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the manufacturing PMI to fall to 44.0 in October.
Separately, Italy's manufacturing PMI fell to 45.50 last month, from 45.70 in September, disappointing expectations for a reading of 45.90.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious amid uncertainty over when Spain may request a bailout and whether Greece will secure the next tranche of its bailout funding.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as shares in French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale declined 0.26% and 0.80%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank tumbled 1%.
Peripheral lenders added to losses, with Italian banks Unicredit and Intesa Sanpaolo retreating 0.40% and 1.02%, while Spain's BBVA and Banco Santander declined 0.67% and 0.40% respectively.
Meanwhile, Alcatel-Lucent plunged 6.55% after saying that third-quarter net loss was EUR146 million, beating the average analyst estimate calling for a loss of EUR149.1 million. Sales declined 2.8% to EUR3.6 billion.
In London, FTSE 100 edged down 0.15%.
Financial stocks were mixed, as shares in HSBC Holdings dropped 0.35% and Barclays declined 0.44%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland tumbled 1.22%. Lloyds Banking overperformed on the other hand, with shares adding 0.20%.
The RBS said earlier that third-quarter net loss was GBP1.38 billion after setting aside GBP400 million more to compensate clients wrongly sold loan insurance. Analysts had forecast a loss of GBP276 million pounds.
Mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were also on the upside, as shares advanced 0.51% and 0.69%, while copper producers Xstrata and Kazakhmys rose 0.22% and 0.48%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.11% fall, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.11% loss, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.04% dip.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce a government report on nonfarm payrolls, as well as data on the unemployment rate, followed by official data on average earnings and factory orders.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.15%, France’s CAC 40 declined 0.22%, while Germany’s DAX 30 slipped 0.09%.
Markit research group said that Spain's manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell more-than-expected in October, ticking down to 43.5 from a reading 0f 44.6 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the manufacturing PMI to fall to 44.0 in October.
Separately, Italy's manufacturing PMI fell to 45.50 last month, from 45.70 in September, disappointing expectations for a reading of 45.90.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious amid uncertainty over when Spain may request a bailout and whether Greece will secure the next tranche of its bailout funding.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as shares in French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale declined 0.26% and 0.80%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank tumbled 1%.
Peripheral lenders added to losses, with Italian banks Unicredit and Intesa Sanpaolo retreating 0.40% and 1.02%, while Spain's BBVA and Banco Santander declined 0.67% and 0.40% respectively.
Meanwhile, Alcatel-Lucent plunged 6.55% after saying that third-quarter net loss was EUR146 million, beating the average analyst estimate calling for a loss of EUR149.1 million. Sales declined 2.8% to EUR3.6 billion.
In London, FTSE 100 edged down 0.15%.
Financial stocks were mixed, as shares in HSBC Holdings dropped 0.35% and Barclays declined 0.44%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland tumbled 1.22%. Lloyds Banking overperformed on the other hand, with shares adding 0.20%.
The RBS said earlier that third-quarter net loss was GBP1.38 billion after setting aside GBP400 million more to compensate clients wrongly sold loan insurance. Analysts had forecast a loss of GBP276 million pounds.
Mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were also on the upside, as shares advanced 0.51% and 0.69%, while copper producers Xstrata and Kazakhmys rose 0.22% and 0.48%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.11% fall, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.11% loss, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.04% dip.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce a government report on nonfarm payrolls, as well as data on the unemployment rate, followed by official data on average earnings and factory orders.