UKX FTSE 100 Index

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Petrofac shares plunge

European stocks swung between gains and losses Thursday, hampered by lower volume and a flip lower in oil prices before a production decision from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 0.2% to 391.62, with only the utilities and consumer goods sectors holding higher, but the index has been darting in and out of negative territory.

While major stock exchanges were open Thursday, Germany and Switzerland were among the countries observing the Ascension holiday.

Germany's DAX was down 0.1% at 12,631.35, but itself has been higher during the session.

Intraday, the "DAX took a 100+ point plunge in the space of a few minutes. This looks likely to be the result of a bank holiday in Germany that makes for thinner liquidity and higher volatility as a result," said Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at ETX Capital, in a note.

"It's all very thin and choppy out there with French banks also closed today."

France's CAC 40 index was up 0.2% at 5,354.47, but has also sported losses. Italy's FTSE MIB was down 0.2% while Spain's IBEX 35 was up 0.5%.

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.1% (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-wobbles-with-opec-decision-in-sight-2017-05-25) at 7,522.

Oil: The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil & Gas Index fell 0.8%, reversing course after oil prices retreated from gains. The drive lower came after Saudi Arabia's oil minister Khalid al-Falih ruled out deeper cuts to oil production (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-turn-sharply-lower-after-saudi-oil-minister-rules-out-deeper-cuts-2017-05-25) in any extension to an OPEC output deal.

Oil prices have been climbing in recent weeks in anticipation that OPEC and non-OPEC members would extend production cuts that were agreed last November as they worked to tackle global oil oversupply. But investors appeared disappointed that deeper cuts may not be announced.

OPEC's production announcement isn't expected to arrive before 4 p.m. London time, or 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

In the European oil group, Italian oil producer Eni SpA (ENI.MI) dropped 0.9%, BP (BP.LN) (BP.LN) gave up 0.9% and France's Total SA (TOT) (TOT) shed 0.3%. Among oil services providers, Amec Foster Wheeler PLC (AMFW.LN) fell 3.7% and Saipem (SPM.MI) gave up 1.2%.

Read:4 potential outcomes for OPEC's crucial meeting (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/4-potential-outcomes-for-opecs-crucial-meeting-2017-05-19)

Meanwhile, shares of Petrofac Ltd. (PFC.LN) plunged 19% after the oil services company said it suspended Chief Operating Officer Marwan Chedid until further notice (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/petrofac-suspends-coo-as-uk-conducts-probe-2017-05-25). Petrofac is under U.K. investigation on suspicion of bribery, corruption and money laundering, and the company has said it's cooperating with authorities. Chedid has resigned from Petrofac's board.

Stock movers: Daily Mail & General Trust PLC (DMGT.LN) slid 8.1% after posting a 76% fall in pretax profit (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/daily-mail-general-trust-pretax-profit-slides-2017-05-25) for the first half of fiscal 2017 as it booked costs related to the company's restructuring. The result was in line with the expectations set by the company, whose portfolio of businesses include the Daily Mail newspaper.

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA shares (ISP.MI) fell 1.1% after a downgrade to hold from buy at Jefferies, which said "valuation looks full with catalysts near-term less clear." A price-target lift to EUR2.90 from EUR2.70 a share no longer leaves sufficient upside to justify a buy rating, Jefferies said in a note about European banks.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 25, 2017 05:34 ET (09:34 GMT)

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