EUROPEAN stocks awaited US data

European stocks were little changed as investors awaited a report on U.S. payrolls to gauge the outlook for Federal Reserve stimulus. 

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index slid less than 0.1%. The gauge has rallied 2.4% so far this week, snapping two weeks of losses, as the European Central Bank affirmed its accommodative monetary policy and Chinese manufacturing in August surpassed estimates. 

ProSiebenSat. slid 1.3% after TMG said late yesterday sold its entire stake of 13.1 million shares, or about 6%, in the company to institutions. KKR & Co. and Permira Advisers LLP sold 25 million shares of ProSiebenSat.1 earlier this week. 

Voestalpine AG slid 1.7%. Bank of America Corp.’s Merrill Lynch unit downgraded Austria’s biggest steelmaker to neutral from buy, citing a recent rally that has led to limited potential for a price increase. The stock gained 37 percent in the four months through August. 

Anglo American Plc fell 1.3% and Lonmin Plc slipped 1.4%/ 

Sonova advanced 3.3%, its highest price since April 16. UBS raised its rating on the shares to buy from neutral, citing growth prospects in its hearing-implants business. 

Ericsson added 1.4% to its highest price since March 15. Credit Suisse raised its recommendation on the shares to outperform from neutral, saying the world’s largest maker of mobile-network equipment will benefit from accelerating growth in the wireless-infrastructure market. 

Air France-KLM Group climbed 2% as the airline said the number of passengers increased 3% in August from a year earlier.

Source of information>>

More information>>