Stock indices closed lower as investors are awaiting the ECB's interest rate decision on Thursday.

German adjusted retail sales climbed 2.9% in January, after a 0.6% gain in December. December's figure was revised up from a 0.2% increase. Analysts had expected retail sales to rise 0.6%.

Eurozone's producer price index dropped 0.9% in January, missing expectations for a 0.6% decrease, after a 1.0% decline in December.

Markit's and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply's construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the U.K. rose to 60.1 in February from 59.1 in January, beating expectations for a decline to 59.0.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,889.13 -51.51 -0.74%

DAX 11,280.36 -130.00 -1.14%

CAC 40 4,869.25 -48.07 -0.98%