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The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.5percent in early deals, while
Results were squarely in focus, with shares in Frenchsupermarket Carrefour dropping 6 percent after thegroup cut its dividend amid a cautious outlook for 2018profitability.
Retailers have struggled in the face of Amazon's rise andadapting to a tech-led world.
Plans by fast-fashion company Zalando to expandinto two new markets were not met well by the market, with itsshares also falling around 3.8 percent as investors assessed theimpact of such heavy investment.
Elsewhere the
Another firm which has struggled in a digital age wasadvertiser WPP, whose shares dropped 11.7 percent afterit said that it would simplify its structure after posting itsworst performance since the financial crisis as consumer goodsfirms cut their spending on advertising.
On the positive side, shares in beer giant Anheuser-BuschInBev jumped 5.7 percent after its fourth quarterprofit beat expectations than expected thanks to a rebound in
(Reporting by Kit ReesEditing by Keith Weir)