European stocks slipped Tuesday, dampened by downbeat data from Germany, the continent's largest economy, before the European Central Bank issues a policy update later this week. Tuesday's fall marked the fourth loss in a row for the pan-European benchmark, with equities largely pulling back after last week hitting their highest level in a year.

The Dow and the S&P 500 on Tuesday logged their first back-to-back declines since late January as sharp losses in energy and telecommunications sectors dragged on the broader market. On the docket are the all-important nonfarm payrolls data on Friday and two major central bank meetings from the European Central Bank on Thursday and the Federal Reserve next week.

Asian equity investors were cautious early Wednesday, taking their cue from a lack of risk appetite in the U.S. overnight, as global markets continued to drift. Markets have been stuck in range-bound trading for much of the week as traders nervously await further clues from the U.S. Federal Reserve and President Donald Trump on the country's monetary and fiscal policy outlook.