European stocks roundup

Europe's main stock markets slipped on Wednesday, with caution prevailing on the eve of interest rate decisions in Britain and the eurozone, dealers said. London's FTSE 100 index of top companies 0.26 percent to 6,818.63 points, taking a hit from poor quarterly earnings from Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco. The CAC 40 in Paris slipped 0.06 per cent to 4,501.00 points, but Frankfurt’s DAX 30 added 0.07 per cent to 9,926.67 points. Milan slid 0.16 per cent and gave up 0.20 percent. ‘It was sour trading in Europe today with mixed services PMIs on the continent and weak US employment and trade data adding to a general unwillingness of traders to take big positions ahead of tomorrow’s ECB rate-setting meeting,’ said analyst Jasper Lawler at CMC Markets UK. The slid further after US payrolls company ADP said the US private sector added 179,000 new jobs in May, a drop of 36,000 from April and the lowest number in four months. In foreign exchange deals on Wednesday, the euro slid to $1.3620, down from $1.3627 late in New York on Tuesday. The European single currency slipped to 81.33 British pence from 81.36 pence. The British pound weakened to $1.6746 from $1.6750 on Tuesday. The price of gold rose to $1,245.25 an ounce from $1,242.75 Tuesday on the London Bullion Market, according to AFP.