Europe's main stock markets fell back on Thursday, as downbeat data helped drag London's FTSE 100 index down by 0.68 percent to 6,672.37 points.
An employee works on a chair assembly line at a factory in Thoissey, on June 18, 2014
In Frankfurt, the DAX 30 lost a hefty 1.52 percent to 9,659.13, and in Paris the CAC 40 gave up 1.34 percent to 4,301.26 points.