European Stocks Fall for Fourth Straight Session

European stocks fell for the fourth straight session at the start of trading today, with investors awaiting economic data from the euro zone, as well as jobs data in the United States, for indications on the path of US interest rate cuts. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.1 percent, while the mining sector lost 0.8 percent after prices of most industrial metals fell amid expectations of weak demand following recent weak economic data globally, including China. However, property stocks were the biggest gainers, up 0.5 percent. German industrial orders rose 2.9 percent in July from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis, while Associated British Foods fell 3.5 percent to a five-month low. Lanxess gained 3.4 percent after Morgan Stanley upgraded the chemicals company. Source: Oman News Agency