European stocks were in the red on Thursday after a weaker-than-expected report on China's manufacturing activity, which compounded the impact of some hawkishness contained in the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s January meeting.
Economic data from the euro zone also hurt the Stoxx Europe 600 index , leaving it still off 0.6% at 332.84, after edging up 0.1% on Wednesday. French consumer prices tumbled, and the weak French economy weighed on euro-zone business activity.Decliners heavily outweighed gainers, with banks, drugs and mining stocks driving the losses.
In Europe, Markit data showed business activity in the euro zone lost momentum in February, owing to weakness in France, the region’s second-largest economy. The monthly gauge of activity across the manufacturing and services sectors of the 18-nation euro zone, fell to 52.7 in February from 52.9 the previous month.
Economic data from the euro zone also hurt the Stoxx Europe 600 index , leaving it still off 0.6% at 332.84, after edging up 0.1% on Wednesday. French consumer prices tumbled, and the weak French economy weighed on euro-zone business activity.Decliners heavily outweighed gainers, with banks, drugs and mining stocks driving the losses.
In Europe, Markit data showed business activity in the euro zone lost momentum in February, owing to weakness in France, the region’s second-largest economy. The monthly gauge of activity across the manufacturing and services sectors of the 18-nation euro zone, fell to 52.7 in February from 52.9 the previous month.