Auto, oil firms shares slide ahead of ECB policy meeting

The European Central Bank’s proposed statement drove investment decisions in the past few days. 

Stocks in Europe fell on Thursday with shares of energy and automakers sliding, as investors look to hear the outcome of a meeting which will be held by the European Central Bank later today.

Europe’s STOXX 600 index fell 0.1 percent by the close of trading, breaking a 4-day winning run. Firms in the oil and gas sector saw a 0.9 percent fall in share prices while auto companies lost almost 1%.

Other stocks within the Euro region fell 0.2 percent, as the market awaits a statement from the ECB by 11:45 GMT announcing policy decisions and projections for economic growth and inflation. 

The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 was bolstered by a 2.2% rise in BT Group after an American firm Altice Group announced the purchase of a 12.1 percent stake in Britain’s leading broadband and mobile operator.