European stocks traded lower on Thursday as a slew of Chinese data disappointed and the Federal Reserve signaled that two more rate increases are on the way.
The ECB rate decision is due later in the day, with officials expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points from the current level of 3.25 percent.
Meanwhile, investors ignored data showing that the euro area posted a narrower trade deficit in April.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.