The pan-European Stoxx 600 was flat with the various sectors taking different directions. Autos and health care dropped the most in early deals. Overall, stock performances are struggling to make gains amid fears over global economic growth and rising interest rates in the U.S.
· Asian shares barely moved on Wednesday after world stocks hit eight-week lows the previous day on worries about global economic growth, although the British pound stayed firm on hopes for a Brexit deal.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was flat, while Japan's Nikkei average .N225 fell 0.4 percent and the Australian benchmark was up just 0.1 percent.
· Japan’s Nikkei edged higher in choppy trade on Wednesday as investors picked up defensive stocks on the dips, while index-heavyweight SoftBank dived on news it was to buy a majority stake in U.S. shared office space provider WeWork.
The Nikkei share average ended 0.2 percent lower to 23,506.04, after switching between positive and negative territory through the day.
Index-heavyweight SoftBank Group Corp tumbled 5.4 percent to a one-month low and posted the biggest daily percentage drop in two years after a source told Reuters that the technology conglomerate is in talks to take a majority stake in shared office space provider WeWork Cos.
· China’s blue-chip index fell for a third consecutive day on Wednesday, but the main Shanghai Composite index rose as investors weighed government support for continued growth against the impact of the U.S.-China trade war
At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.2 percent at 2,725.84.