European shares inched lower on Wednesday, as investors refrained from placing big bets ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, while also parsing through a slate of corporate updates.
The pan-European STOXX 600 was down 0.1% at 577.43 by 0808 GMT, on track for its fourth session of declines.
Major regional benchmarks also dipped, with the ones in Germany and Spain down 0.1% each.
France's CAC 40 also lost 0.1% after lawmakers narrowly approved the 2026 social security budget on Tuesday, handing the government a victory but at a political and financial cost.
Financials and industrial stocks, which have buoyed markets in recent sessions, fell. Insurers shed 0.4%, dragged down by a 7% decline in Aegon after providing a trading update.
The spotlight will remain on the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision later in the day, where the central bank is expected to trim interest rates by 25 basis points.
However, comments from Chair Jerome Powell will be scrutinized for clues on how the bank will approach monetary policy the next year against the backdrop of a weakening economy.
Source: Reuters.com
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