BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European shares were subdued on Thursday after hitting an eight-month high the previous day on hopes that a U.S.-China trade deal could be imminent.
Investors watched fresh developments on the Brexit front after U.K. lawmakers voted by a majority of one to force Prime Minister Theresa May to ask for an extension to the Brexit process.
Elsewhere, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Wednesday the U.S. and China hope to get closer to a trade deal this week.
President Donald Trump is due to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Washington today.
In economic releases, factory orders data from German disappointed investors. The country's factory orders plunged by 4.2 percent month-on-month in February, marking their sharpest fall since January 2017.
The pan European Stoxx 600 was down 0.4 percent at 387.47 in opening deals after rallying 1 percent the previous day.
The German DAX was marginally lower, France's CAC 40 index was moving down 0.3 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was declining 0.6 percent.
UniCredit shares dropped 1.7 percent. According to the Financial Times, the Italian lender is preparing a rival multibillion-euro bid to take control of Commerzbank. Shares of the German lender rallied nearly 3 percent.
Steel maker Thyssenkrupp lost 3 percent on reports that workers at the company are demanding substantial guarantees for jobs and plants even if a planned joint venture with India's Tata Steel falls apart.
Danish shipping giant Maersk plunged 11 percent following the separate listing of its oil and gas drilling unit.
Mothercare slumped 7.6 percent after the British retailer reported an 8.8 percent decline in U.K. like-for-like sales for its 12 week period to March 30, 2019.
Shares of Homeserve rallied 2.5 percent. The home repairs and improvements business said it has had another very good year in 2019, with adjusted profit before tax expected to be at the upper end of market expectations.
The adjusted profit before tax is also expected to be significantly ahead of the 141.7 million pounds delivered in fiscal 2018.
Over-50s insurance and holiday firm Saga plummeted 33 percent after a profit warning.
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