European Stocks Slide On Renewed Economic Jitters

(RTTNews) - European stocks fell Thursday, trimming recent gains after downbeat economic news, including a disappointing reading on German manufacturing.

Flash survey data from Markit Economics showed the composite output index for Germany fell to 52.1 in November from 53.9 in October. The activity expanded for 19 consecutive months but it was the slowest expansion in 16 months.

Meanwhile, flash survey data from Markit Economics showed the composite output index for Eurozone dropped to 51.4 in November, the lowest score since July of last year, from 52.1 in October. Economists had forecast it to rise to 52.3.

However, the Office for National Statistics said U.K. retail sales grew more than expected in October on strong recovery in non-food store sales.

Elsewhere, China's manufacturing sector defied expectations for expansion in November as the purchasing managers' index fell its lowest level in six months, preliminary figures from HSBC and Markit Economics revealed.

The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks fell 0.67 percent.

While the German DAX Index crept up by 0.1 percent, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index dropped by 0.3 percent and the French CAC 40 Index fell by 0.8 percent.