European Stocks Flat As ECB Meeting Looms

Stocks across Europe swayed between small gains and losses early Thursday as investors awaited a monetary-policy decision from the European Central Bank.

The Stoxx Europe 600 rose less than 1 point at 337.14, held back by losses among banking shares, with Deutsche Bank AG DE:DBK -1.47%down 1.8% following a ratings downgrade to overweight from neutral by J.P. Morgan Cazenove.

Analysts, on average, expect the ECB to make no changes in policy when the decision is unveiled at 12:45 p.m.

Among country-specific indexes, Germany’s DAX 30 DX:DAX +0.03%shed 0.1% at 9,615.18, and France’s CAC 40 FR:PX1 +0.06%slipped 0.1% to 4,428.15. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 UK:UKX +0.31%was up 0.1% at 6,666.67.

Source: Market Watch