European shares fall as data signals slower economic recovery

European stocks slipped slightly on Wednesday as weak economic data raised concerns about the euro zone’s economic recovery. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell by 0.2%, while industrial goods and services firms fell by 1.6%, and the utilities sector climbed 1.4%. Despite a promising start to the year, European stocks experienced their worst March since 2020 due to mixed economic data and fears of a recession. Euro zone government bond yields rose after the European Central Bank warned of the need for stronger monetary policy measures if the area ends up in a wage-price spiral.