BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks fell on Thursday, although markets came off their day's lows after a government report showed U.K. retail sales recovered unexpectedly in June.
Retail sales volume increased 1 percent month-on-month in June largely driven by non-food product sales. Sales were forecast to fall 0.3 percent after easing 0.6 percent in May.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 32 points or 0.43 percent at 7,502 as investors assess the fallout from the U.S.-China trade war.
Shares of ASOS slumped 15 percent after the online fashion retailer trimmed its fiscal 2019 profit view, citing problems with the rollout of its new automated warehouses.
BAE Systems was little changed. The defense contractor said it had recognized non-cash benefit to 2019 earnings per share, following agreements reached in respect of overseas tax matters.
Gold mining company Centamin rose half a percent after maintaining FY production guidance.
Low-cost airline easyJet jumped 3 percent after its third-quarter total revenue increased 11.4 percent from the year-ago period to 1.76 billion pounds.
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