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European markets<\/span> closed lower on Thursday as investors stayed cautious and refrained from making significant moves, looking ahead to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s closing remarks at the Jackson Hole Symposium.<\/p>\n Weak economic data from Germany weighed on sentiment. Gfk forward looking consumer confidence index dropped from -0.4 to -1.2, marking the worst reading in three months as accelerating inflation and rising COVID-19 cases made consumers more hesitant to buy.<\/p>\n Uncertainty over U.S. monetary policy also weighed, with investors awaiting the outcome of the Jackson Hole symposium for clues on the timing of a tapering of monetary stimulus.<\/p>\n The pan European Stoxx 600 declined 0.52%. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 ended 0.35% down, Germany’s DAX slid 0.42% and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.16%. Switzerland’s SMI bucked the trend and gained 0.36%.<\/p>\n Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey closed weak.<\/p>\n Denmark, Greece, Ireland and Norway moved higher, while Finland and Iceland ended flat.<\/p>\n Travel-related stocks fell amid lingering worries about the spread of the coronavirus<\/span> of the Delta variant.<\/p>\n In the UK market, Polymetal International, Melrose Industries and Antofagasta shed 3.6%, 3.3% and 2.7%, respectively. Rio Tinto, Aviva, BHP Group, St. James Plc, Mondi, Anglo American Plc, Whitbread and Glencore lost 1 to 2%.<\/p>\n CRH rallied nearly 4%. ITV gained about 1.6%, while Ocado Group, Royal Mail, Natwest Group, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Tesco and Pershing Square Holdings posted modest gains.<\/p>\n In the French market, ArcelorMittal, Veolia, Air France-KLM, Hermes International, Accor, Sodexo and Renault lost 1 to 2%. <\/p>\n Shares of Faurecia gained about 1.2%. Vivendi gained more than 2.5%. Universal Music Group, a unit of the French media conglomerate, said it expects further revenue growth this year and it would pay out half of its profits as dividends in the medium term.<\/p>\n Bouygues gained about 1%. The industrial group raised its guidance after reporting strong growth in sales and earnings during the first half of 2021.<\/p>\n In Germany, Puma, Deutsche Bank and Lufthansa lost more than 2%. Henkel, Bayer and RWE also ended notably lower. Thyssenkrupp moved up by over 1%.<\/p>\n Deutsche Bank’s asset management arm DWS Group plunged nearly 14% on a report the company is being investigated by U.S. authorities over sustainability claims. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n