European stocks slipped today as a decline in crude oil weighed on energy stocks.
Earlier this morning, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.3 per cent at 1,517.8 points.
Investors are awaiting inflation data from the euro zone and the United States as well as UK retail sales data, all of which may dictate the central banks' next move on rates.
French oil firm Total was one of the biggest negative weights on the broader European market, falling 0.6 per cent as the price of crude oil struggled to break above $94 a barrel ahead of US inventory data later in the day.
Shares in BP were down 1.4 per cent, while Royal Dutch Shell stock was off by 0.8 per cent.
The index is up 3 per cent so far this year, but has fallen about 4 per cent this month, led largely by financial stocks which have borne the brunt of the fallout from the global liquidity crisis.
Barclays shares rose as much as 6.8 per cent in early trade, however, after the bank said it had recorded writedowns of £1.3 billion sterling ($2.7 billion) in the period between July and October, soothing the worst fears about its exposure.
Barclays and other leading bank stocks have gained this week as a series of institutions have eased some concern about losses related to the credit crunch.