By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks fell Thursday, swept lower
along with other European markets, as investors waited for more
details of the European Central Bank's upcoming stimulus
program.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 0.3% to 6,540.60, and all
sectors were in the red. Industrials were off 1%, and the oil and
gas group was lower by 0.6%.
Babcock International Group PLC led decliners on the FTSE 100,
with the engineering-services company's shares down by 4%.
TUI Travel PLC was among the few advancers, gaining 6% after the
company said it now expects full-year underlying operating-profit
growth of at least 9%, higher than its previous growth forecast of
7% to 10%
The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 0.6% ahead of the ECB rate decision,
due at 12:45 p.m. London time, or 7:45 a.m. Eastern Time, and bank
president Mario Draghi's news conference 45 minutes later.
The loss in equities across Europe also followed a rough session
for Wall Street on Wednesday as positive momentum for the U.S.
economy stoked worries the Federal Reserve will raise interest
rates sooner rather than later.
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