ROME: European stocks fell Tuesday, with losses holding following disappointment over a key sentiment reading from Germany, Europe’s biggest economy.
European equities started on weaker footing after Monday’s rally, as the market has been awash in liquidity linked to European Central Bank’s asset-buying program.
The Stoxx Europe 600 SXXP, -0.71% on Tuesday fell 0.7% to 397.33, with only oil-and-gas SXEP, +1.23% and utility shares SX6E, -0.02% notching gains.
Stocks stayed lower after the release of the closely watched German ZEW economic sentiment figure. The reading for March rose to 54.8, and although that is the highest value since February last year, analysts polled by FactSet had expected an even more-optimistic reading of 60.