European shares fell for a third straight session to hit a nine-month low today as bleak US manufacturing data raised fresh concerns about the health of global economy.

At 0713 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.4 per cent at 1,064.28 points after falling as low as 1,063.52, the lowest since October 2010.

"The macroeconomic figures that we saw have certainly given investors serious considerations to question the speed of global economic recovery," said Keith Bowman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

"In the background, we have got the rating agencies' potential comments on the US credit rating."

US looked to have averted a debt default after the House of Representatives approved a deal to raise the government's borrowing limit, but investors stayed concerned that Washington could still lose its triple-A credit rating.

Chemicals shares featured among the top decliners, with the sector index down 0.7 per cent.

Reuters