Investing.com - Germany's benchmark index dipped at the open on Thursday, while other European markets moved lower amid ongoing political turmoil in Spain and as investors focused on a fresh batch of corporate earnings.
The EURO STOXX 50 slipped 0.11%, France’s CAC 40 edged 0.15% lower, while Germany’s DAX 30 dipped 0.08% and Spain's IBEX 35 was down 0.06% by 03:35 a.m. ET (07:35 GMT).
Investors remained cautious as Thursday marked the second deadline for Catalonia to officially declare independence.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said he would be ready to invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution if the declaration is not withdrawn.
European Union members were also set to meet on Thursday in Brussels. Among other things, they were expected to discuss Brexit negotiations.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) gained 0.15% and 0.47%, while Germany's Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) and Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) climbed 0.51% and 0.57%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) added 0.18% and 0.30% respectively, while Spanish bank BBVA (MC:BBVA) edged up 0.11%.
In earnings news, Roche Holding AG (SIX:RO) reported strong sales growth for the first nine months of 2017 and confirmed its outlook for the year. Shares in the Swiss company were still down 0.45% in European morning trade.
Nestle SA (SIX:NESN) added to losses, with shares down 0.99% after the group confirmed its sales guidance for the year and reported a 2.6% rise in organic growth. However, the company also said it expected its operating margin to decrease by 40 to 60 basis points.
Shares in Publicis Groupe SA (PA:PUBP) dove 5.06% after the French advertising company said organic sales climbed 1.2% in the third quarter.
In London, FTSE 100 slid 0.30%, weighed by Unilever (LON:ULVR), whose shares plummeted 3.08% after the consumer goods company reported weaker than expected third-quarter sales growth, due to poor weather in Europe and hurricanes in the Americas.
Mining stocks were also lower on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) fell 0.29% and Fresnillo (LON:FRES) slid 0.38%, while Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) declined 0.39% and Glencore (LON:GLEN) dropped 0.89%.
In the financial sector, stocks were mostly higher. Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) edged up 0.14% and Barclays (LON:BARC) added 0.18%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) gained 0.34%. HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) underperformed however, with shares down 1.08%.
Travis Perkins (LON:TPK) was one of the top performers on the index, as shares surged 3.46% after the home improvement retailer reported a slight rise in third-quarter sales, but warned of ongoing uncertainty in the UK economy and a “cautious” market outlook.
Ashtead Group (LON:AHT) added to gains, with shares up 2.08% after ananlysts at Liberum Capital reiterated their “buy” rating on the stock.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.15% fall, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.20% slide, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.24% decline.