European stocks slipped on Thursday after hitting record highs earlier this week as investors looked ahead to US and European economic data to gauge the future path of monetary policy. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.1 per cent by 0712 GMT, in line with cautious moves in Asian stocks. In euro zone, IHS Markit’s final reading of May services sector activity is due later in the day. The top drag on the Stoxx index was Swiss drugmaker Roche, down 1.0 per cent, after Societe Generale downgraded the stock to “hold”. French construction materials group Saint-Gobain gained 3.2 per cent after forecasting record operating income and margin in the first half of the year.

Source: The Irish Times June 03, 2021 07:30 UTC