UKX FTSE 100 Index

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Monthly gains still in sight

European stocks dropped Friday, with investors tackling a raft of economic data and a fresh batch of corporate results as the week and month draw to a close.

The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 1.3% to 344.84. All sectors were in the red.

Among individual movers, shares of Restaurant Group PLC (RTN.LN) tumbled 24% after the restaurant chain operator issued a 2016 profit warning (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/restaurant-group-warns-on-2016-profit-cfo-resigns-2016-04-29-348593) and said its chief financial officer had resigned.

European stocks on Thursday (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/european-stocks-fall-beaten-down-by-boj-dismay-2016-04-28) ended with a slight gain after a mostly downbeat session.

"Markets are still coming to terms with the central bank announcements of the last couple of days, and the legacy of these decisions continues to impact through the markets, with U.S. dollar weakness continuing," said Richard Perry, market analyst at Hantec Markets, in a note.

The Bank of Japan surprised markets Thursday (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/out-of-ammunition-analysts-react-to-bojs-surprise-non-move-2016-04-28) by not issuing a new round of stimulus for the world's third-largest economy. That sent the yen surging against the dollar. The greenback continued to lose ground against major rivals Friday, with the euro up 0.4% at $1.1395, after trading above $1.14.

Data: European equities remained Friday lower after data showed eurozone gross domestic product grew 0.6% in the first quarter (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eurozone-gdp-rises-as-recovery-gathers-pace-2016-04-29), according to a preliminary reading from Eurostat. That was stronger than an expected 0.4% rate.

But, separately, inflation in the currency bloc fell to negative 0.2% in April, missing expectations for a flat reading. The data highlight the challenge of stubbornly low inflation the European Central Bank has been battling against.

For the week, Stoxx Europe 600 is looking at a 1.2% decline, which would break a two-week run of wins. The index for the month, however, is on track for 2.1% advance, marking a second straight monthly gain.

Indexes: Germany's DAX 30 lost 1.4% to 10,178.29, and France's CAC 40 declined 1.8% to 4,473.96. Italy's FTSE MIB shed 0.6% to 18,870.33, while Spain's IBEX 35 was dragged down 1.8% to 9,105.90.

In London, the FTSE 100 fell 1% to 6,261.04 (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-slides-but-hangs-onto-monthly-gains-2016-04-29).

Movers: Shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG.LN) stumbled 3.8% after the parent of British Airways cut its growth plans (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/iag-cuts-growth-plans-after-brussels-attacks-2016-04-29) in the wake of the Brussels terror attacks in March.

Credit Suisse AG (CSGN.EB) (CSGN.EB) fell 4% as the embattled Swiss banking group faced shareholders Friday. (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/credit-suisse-engulfed-in-battle-over-nearly-1-billion-in-losses-2016-04-29)

On the upside, shares of Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS.KO) gained 5% after the Danish wind-turbine maker's first-quarter profit fell but beat analyst expectations (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vestas-net-profit-falls-38-on-weaker-deliveries-2016-04-29).

More data: Among other figures released Friday, French consumer prices unexpectedly rose to 0.2% in March (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/french-consumer-spending-rises-unexpectedly-2016-04-29). France's gross domestic product grew (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/french-gdp-beats-forecasts-spain-recovery-steady-2016-04-29) 0.5% in the first quarter, beating expectations for a 0.4% reading.

German retail sales unexpectedly fell 1.1% in March. (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/german-retail-sales-surprise-with-11-fall-2016-04-29)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 29, 2016 07:14 ET (11:14 GMT)

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