Europe Markets: European stocks ease ahead of ECB meeting as coronavirus concerns linger

Europe Markets: European stocks ease ahead of ECB meeting as coronavirus concerns linger

European stocks ease ahead of ECB meeting as coronavirus concerns linger. European stocks fell Thursday ahead of a European Central Bank meeting, with investors cautious after China locked down a city of 10 million people to stem the outbreak of a deadly respiratory illness.. Trade worries were also resurfacing for investors after comments made by President Donald Trump in Davos at the World Economic Forum.. slipped 0.2% to 422.30, after closing down 0.08% on Wednesday, which marked its third-straight losing session.. The European Central Bank meeting will be the main event for Europe.. Though no change in policy is expected, investors will be paying attention to its strategic review and any hints dropped by President Christine Lagarde over future policy.. The bank will announce its policy decision at 1:45 p.m. Central European Time (7:45 a.m. Eastern), followed by a press conference at 2:30 p.m. CET (8:30 a.m. Eastern).. Read: Why investors can't afford to sleep through this week's ECB meeting. Investors were spooked Thursday by worries over a spreading coronavirus, which left Asia markets sharply lower.. In an unprecedented move, the government has locked down the city of Wuhan, where the first cases of the virus were reported.. Shares of