BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks modest weakness during trading on Thursday, with lingering U.S.-China trade uncertainty and escalating tensions in the Middle East keeping investors worried.
There was no relief from the U.S.-China trade truce as the much-hyped framework agreement lacked specifics.
Elsewhere, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed diminished confidence in reaching a nuclear deal with Iran, emphasizing that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.
Also, the U.S. has initiated a partial evacuation of its embassy in Iraq and authorized voluntary departures from Bahrain and Kuwait, citing heightened security concerns.
The pan European STOXX 600 Index fell by 0.3 percent to 549.04 after declining 0.3 percent on Wednesday.
The German DAX Index slid by 0.7 percent and the French CAC 40 Index edged down by 0.1 percent, although the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index bucked the downtrend and rose by 0.2 percent.
In economic news, official data showed the U.K. economy shrank more than expected in April largely reflecting a fall in services output.
Real GDP declined 0.3 percent month-on-month in April, following a growth of 0.2 percent in March.
This was the biggest fall since October 2023. Analysts had expected GDP to drop marginally by 0.1 percent.
Travel-related stocks moved sharply lower after weak airfare data from the United States and amid concerns about rising fuel costs.
TUI plunged by 9.0 percent, while Deutsche Lufthansa tumbled by 3.7 percent and IAG slumped by 3.2 percent.
Hexagon AB also showed a notable move to the downside after it announced an agreement to acquire France's APEI, a company specializing in aerial mapping capabilities.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
