European shares were subdued on Wednesday, as Chinese trade data came in below expectations and investors exercised caution ahead of key central bank meetings next week. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, data showed German industrial output rose less than expected in April. Industrial production in the eurozone’s largest economy<\/span> rose 0.3 percent on the previous month, missing forecasts for a 0.6 percent rise.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, France’s foreign trade deficit increased at the start of the second quarter as exports fell amid a rise in imports, data from the customs office revealed. <\/p>\n The trade deficit rose to EUR 9.71 billion in April from EUR 8.39 billion in March while the expected shortfall was EUR 7.7 billion.<\/p>\n The pan European STOXX 600 was down 0.2 percent at 460.65 after gaining 0.4 percent on Tuesday. <\/p>\n The German DAX and France’s CAC 40 both dropped around half a percent, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 was marginally lower. <\/p>\n Zara-owner Inditex jumped 6 percent after Q1 profit beat forecasts. <\/p>\n Healthcare stocks traded mostly lower. Swiss biopharmaceutical company Idorsia fell more than 2 percent and Novo Nordish was down more than 1 percent. <\/p>\n GSK edged up slightly after receiving authorization for its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine Arexvy from the European Commission.<\/p>\n U.K. housebuilders Persimmon, Berkeley Group Holdings and Taylor Wimpey fell 1-2 percent after Halifax reported the first year-on-year decline in U.K. house prices since 2012.<\/p>\n Online fashion group N Brown plunged 7 percent, a day after posting declines in full-year revenue and profit.<\/p>\n Stratec SE gained nearly 2 percent. The company further expanded its presence in the United States by acquiring Natech Plastics. <\/p>\n