European stocks edged lower on Thursday, as the widening conflict in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment, along with a string of mixed corporate earnings reports that added further pressure to the markets.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.3 percent to 610.72 points by 8:10 a.m. GMT. On Wednesday, the index had posted its best daily performance in more than three months, recovering some of the losses it suffered earlier in the week.
Mining stocks led the sectoral losses, with the sector's sub-index falling by 1.5 percent.
Geopolitical tensions are putting pressure on markets.
The war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran entered its sixth day with no signs of a quick resolution, after Tehran launched a new wave of missile strikes toward Israel earlier in the day, while the US Senate rejected a draft resolution that aimed to halt the US air campaign.
Investors are also awaiting a speech by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde later today, looking for clues about the direction of monetary policy in the coming period.
Upcoming economic data
Markets are also awaiting the release of Eurozone retail sales data for January, along with the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reading for the construction sector for last month, which may provide further indications of the trajectory of economic activity in the European bloc.
individual stock movements
On the corporate front, trading in shares of Nexi was suspended after they fell 11.3 percent to a record low, following the payments company's announcement of its annual results.
In contrast, shares of DHL Group fell 5.4 percent after the German logistics company reported a 1.3 percent drop in fourth-quarter operating profit, impacted by the performance of its freight and logistics unit.
