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European stocks fall on eve of key US jobs data (AFP)
's leading stock markets dropped on Thursday, the eve of major US jobs figures, and as British investors awaited the
's latest decision on interest rates.
fell by 0.29 percent to stand at 5,514.37 points in late morning deals.
Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 0.83 percent to 5,984.19 points and in Paris the
lost 0.50 percent to 3,997.85.
of top eurozone shares decreased 0.62 percent in value to reach 2,990.92 points.
“Global equity markets have struggled to build on recent gains ahead of Friday's crucial non-farm payroll figures in the US,” said ETX Capital senior trader Manoj Ladwa.
traders that make it to their desk through the snow and ice will be appropriately cautious,” he added, in reference to the cold weather gripping
.
minutes showing concern about high unemployment.
gained just 0.02 percent to close at 10,573.68 points, barely ending in positive territory after a weak opening.
The market had a batch of economic news to weigh, beginning with payrolls firm ADP's report before the opening bell that showed the nonfarm
shed 84,000 jobs in December, the smallest drop since March 2008.
Most analysts had expected 75,000 job losses for the key private-sector report ahead of the Labor Department's nonfarm jobs data release Friday, which includes government workers.
is expected to report nonfarm payrolls fell by 35,000, after shedding 11,000 in November, and the
holding at 10.0 percent.
Meanwhile, the weak showing by
on Thursday came after London had closed a day earlier at the highest level for 16 months amid hopes of a strong economic recovery following the worst downturn since the 1930s.
which is due at 1200 GMT.
The BoE is widely expected to hold its key interest rate at a record-low 0.50 percent following a two-day meeting, analysts said, amid hopes that Britain will soon exit a deep and long-lasting recession.
The BoE is also forecast to announce that it will continue to pump out new money totalling up to 200 billion pounds (222 billion euros, 320 billion dollars) as it seeks to boost lending by
.
Britain is the last major economy officially in recession but data due later this month is expected to show that the nation returned to growth in the fourth quarter of 2009.