PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European markets are mostly lower on Thursday, ahead of policy decisions from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England.
Market participants expect the ECB to trim benchmark interest rate to 0.10 percent from 0.25 percent, while slashing deposit rates to -0.10 percent from zero level at present. Economists expect the BoE to retain interest rates unchanged at 0.50 percent.
Eurozone retail turnover increased unexpectedly on food sales, data from Eurostat revealed. Retail sales advanced 0.4 percent month-on-month in April after rising 0.1 percent in March. Sales were expected to remain flat in April.
The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks is adding 0.10 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, is falling 0.05 percent.
The German DAX, the UK's FTSE 100 and Switzerland's SMI are in the red, while the French CAC 40 is fractionally higher.
In Frankfurt, adidas is losing 1.4 percent. SAP and Continental are losing moderately.
Bucking the trend, ThyssenKrupp is gaining 1.5 percent.
Henkel is moderately higher. The consumer goods company announced the acquisition of France-based the Spotless Group SAS for 940 million euros.
In Paris, Michelin is losing 1.5 percent. Solvay and Unibail-Rodamco are losing around 1 percent each.
Alcatel Lucent and Pernod-Ricard are gaining 1.6 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively.
In London, Persimmon is losing 5.5 percent. Petrofac and Rexam are falling 2.1 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
Smith & Nephew is gaining 5 percent on talks of acquisition by US-based Medtronic.
VP is gaining 8 percent. The equipment rental company reported higher profit for fiscal 2014 and proposed an increase in final dividend.
ING confirmed the initial public offering of its insurance arm NN Group. The stock is moderately higher in Amsterdam.
Volvo is losing 2.4 percent in Stockholm. UBS cut the stock to 'Sell' from 'Neutral.'
The Asian stocks ended mixed. Mixed U.S. data and a private survey showing easing growth in China's services sector tempered optimism surrounding the ECB's policy meeting amid bets the central bank will deliver further stimulus to act against very low inflation, ending months of dithering.
In the U.S., futures point to a cautious open on Wall Street. In the previous session, stocks recovered early losses to end slightly higher.
Crude for July delivery is losing $0.24 to $102.40 per barrel, while August gold is gaining $0.2 to $1244.5 a troy ounce.
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