BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks may open largely unchanged on Thursday, with U.S recession concerns, Brexit-related uncertainty, and caution ahead of fresh U.S.-China trade talks likely to keep investors nervous.
Worries about a U.S. recession resurfaced after bond yields spiraled lower across the globe.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed to quit at a meeting of Conservative lawmakers, if MPs pass her Brexit deal.
There is still no clarity on Brexit as MPs, who have seized control of the parliamentary timetable from the government, failed to rally behind any single option.
Trade talks resume between the U.S. and China today in Beijing, with few signs of breakthrough on the most difficult issues.
Asian markets are trading mixed, with Japan's Nikkei index falling as much as 1.6 percent as investors eyed trade talks and watched the latest Brexit developments.
The dollar edged up while oil extended losses for a second session after data showed a surprise increase in crude inventories.
Overnight, U.S. stocks fell modestly on worries about a possible recession as bond yields extended the downward trend seen over the past few sessions.
The Dow slipped 0.1 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.6 percent and the S&P 500 declined half a percent.
European markets ended little changed on Wednesday as comments by ECB President Mario Draghi added to concerns about the euro zone's economic health.
The pan European Stoxx 600 closed flat with a positive bias. The German DAX and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended largely unchanged while France's CAC 40 index slipped 0.1 percent.
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