Investing.com - European stocks turned broadly lower on Thursday, after the release of tepid manufacturing data from the euro zone as well as disappointing economic reports from China.
During European afternoon trade, the EURO STOXX 50 slid 0.85%, France’s CAC 40 tumbled 1.06%, while Germany’s DAX 30 declined 0.53%.
In the euro zone, Markit research group said its final manufacturing purchasing managers' index for the bloc remained unchanged at 52.7 last month, in line with expectations.
A separate report showed that Germany's manufacturing PMI rose to a 30-month high of 54.3 in December, from a reading of 54.2 the previous month. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged last month.
In France, the manufacturing PMI fell to a seven-month low of 47.0 in December, from 47.1 in November, compared to expectations for the index to remain unchanged.
Earlier in the day, a report showed that China’s final HSBC PMI inched down to 50.5 in December from a reading of 50.8 in November.
The data was published one day after a government report showed that China’s manufacturing PMI fell to a four-month low of 51.0 last month from 51.4 in November and worse than forecasts for a decline to 51.2.
Financial stocks turned sharply lower, as French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale plummeted 1.71% and 1.23%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank tumbled 1.42%.
Among peripheral lenders, Spanish banks Banco Santander and BBVA lost 1.23% and 2.09% respectively, while Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo shed 0.36%.
Elsewhere, Fiat saw shares skyrocket 12.53% after the Italian carmaker agreed to buy the remaining stake in Chrysler Group that it doesn’t already own.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 retreated 0.33%, as mining stocks extended earlier losses and after Markit said the U.K. manufacturing PMI fell more than expected to 57.3 last month from a reading of 58.1 in November.
Shares in Rio Tinto plunged 2.13% and BHP Billiton declined 1.55%, while rivals Glencore Xstrata and Vedanta Resources tumbled 1.26% and 2.20% respectively.
Meanwhile, financial stocks were also mostly lower, as Lloyds Banking fell 0.18% and HSBC Holdings lost 0.83%, while Barclays dropped 0.96%. The Royal Bank of Scotland overperformed however, up 0.59%.
Debenhams erased gains and declined 1.03% after its chief financial officer resigned.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a mixed open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.15% gain, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.19% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.27% slide.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce weekly jobless claims data as well as a report by the Institute of Supply Management on manufacturing activity.
During European afternoon trade, the EURO STOXX 50 slid 0.85%, France’s CAC 40 tumbled 1.06%, while Germany’s DAX 30 declined 0.53%.
In the euro zone, Markit research group said its final manufacturing purchasing managers' index for the bloc remained unchanged at 52.7 last month, in line with expectations.
A separate report showed that Germany's manufacturing PMI rose to a 30-month high of 54.3 in December, from a reading of 54.2 the previous month. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged last month.
In France, the manufacturing PMI fell to a seven-month low of 47.0 in December, from 47.1 in November, compared to expectations for the index to remain unchanged.
Earlier in the day, a report showed that China’s final HSBC PMI inched down to 50.5 in December from a reading of 50.8 in November.
The data was published one day after a government report showed that China’s manufacturing PMI fell to a four-month low of 51.0 last month from 51.4 in November and worse than forecasts for a decline to 51.2.
Financial stocks turned sharply lower, as French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale plummeted 1.71% and 1.23%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank tumbled 1.42%.
Among peripheral lenders, Spanish banks Banco Santander and BBVA lost 1.23% and 2.09% respectively, while Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo shed 0.36%.
Elsewhere, Fiat saw shares skyrocket 12.53% after the Italian carmaker agreed to buy the remaining stake in Chrysler Group that it doesn’t already own.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 retreated 0.33%, as mining stocks extended earlier losses and after Markit said the U.K. manufacturing PMI fell more than expected to 57.3 last month from a reading of 58.1 in November.
Shares in Rio Tinto plunged 2.13% and BHP Billiton declined 1.55%, while rivals Glencore Xstrata and Vedanta Resources tumbled 1.26% and 2.20% respectively.
Meanwhile, financial stocks were also mostly lower, as Lloyds Banking fell 0.18% and HSBC Holdings lost 0.83%, while Barclays dropped 0.96%. The Royal Bank of Scotland overperformed however, up 0.59%.
Debenhams erased gains and declined 1.03% after its chief financial officer resigned.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a mixed open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.15% gain, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.19% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.27% slide.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce weekly jobless claims data as well as a report by the Institute of Supply Management on manufacturing activity.