European Stocks Slip as Growth Worries Weigh Ahead of Jobs Data

(Bloomberg) — European stocks edged lower as worries over the risk of a US recession and slowing growth in China weighed on sentiment ahead of a closely-watched jobs data release.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell less than 0.1% as of 8:13 a.m. London time. Mining stocks were among the biggest declines, coming under pressure amid a slump in iron ore prices. Luxury stocks were also weak amid renewed worries over Chinese demand, following a Bloomberg report that LVMH’s Tiffany & Co. is planning to downsize its flagship store in Shanghai.

European equities have gotten off to a shaky start in September as renewed jitters over the health of the US economy once again roiled risky assets, with high-flying technology stocks among the hardest hit. The move comes just after the Stoxx 600 Index reached a record.

“The market is pricing to reflect a little bit of uncertainty and a certain amount of fragility, and that is relatively normal,” said Helen Jewell, CIO of BlackRock Fundamental Equities, EMEA. “Previously, what the market was pricing for was perfection and now the market is pricing for the normal circumstance of a range of outcomes.”

Attention is also turning to tomorrow’s US payrolls report for clues over the size of the Federal Reserve’s first interest rate reduction.

Among individual movers on Thursday, Associated British Foods Plc shares fell after the Primark-owner gave a trading update, while Norway’s Tomra Systems ASA was another underperformer after announcing new financial targets.

The pan-European benchmark is up around 7% on the year, boosted by gains across the more defensive health care and telecoms sectors, though banks have also had a strong showing. Still, the Stoxx 600 has underperformed its US counterpart following political turmoil in France.

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–With assistance from Sagarika Jaisinghani.

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