By Investors Hub
European stocks are turning in a lackluster performance on Wednesday as doubts grow over the prospects of a Brexit deal. Brexit talks are at an impasse as EU and U.K. officials resume Brexit negotiations later today ahead of a summit of EU leaders on Thursday.
“The fate of Brexit negotiations depend on London moving with technical negotiations having now reached an impasse,” Bloomberg reported today, citing sources familiar with talks. The report claims that the negotiations could collapse amid Democratic Unionist Party pushback to the proposed deal.
While the German DAX Index has edged up by 0.2 percent, the French CAC 40 Index is down by 0.1 percent and the U.K.?s FTSE 100 Index is down by 0.3 percent.
In economic news, Eurozone inflation eased more than initially estimated in September, the latest data from Eurostat showed.
Inflation slowed to 0.8 percent in September from 1 percent in August. Price growth was initially estimated at 0.9 percent. This was the lowest inflation since November 2016, when the rate of price growth was 0.6 percent.
The euro area trade surplus increased in August on falling imports, data from Eurostat revealed. The trade surplus rose to a seasonally adjusted 20.3 billion euros in August from 17.5 billion euros in July.
Separate reports from the Office for National Statistics showed U.K. consumer price inflation held steady in September, while factory gate price inflation was the weakest in three years