European stocks fell after a U.S. report that showed weakness in the services industry, while factory orders rose faster than forecast.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index lost 0.2 percent to 326.98 at the close of trading in London. The benchmark gauge climbed 5.8 percent from its Dec. 13 low through Jan. 3.

A U.S. report showed that the Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index fell to 53 last month from 53.9 in November. Economists in a Bloomberg survey had forecast a reading of 54.7. A separate release showed factory orders in the world’s biggest economy climbed 1.8 percent in November. The median economist estimate called for a 1.7 percent increase.

In China, a purchasing managers’ index of the services industry fell to 50.9 in December from 52.5 the previous month, data from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics showed. Readings above 50 indicate expansion. Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing last week showed services in the world’s second-biggest economy fell in December to the slowest in four months.

National benchmark indexes rose in eight of the 14 western-European markets open today. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 was little changed and Germany’s DAX slipped 0.1 percent. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.5 percent. Stock markets in Sweden, Finland, Austria and Greece were closed today for the Epiphany holiday.

Remy Cointreau fell 2.1 percent to 57.70 euros. Natixis lowered its rating on the producer of Remy Martin cognac to neutral from buy after Frederic Pflanz resigned as chief executive officer last week.

Edenred dropped 5.5 percent to 22.95 euros after Natixis downgraded the shares to neutral from buy. The brokerage said currencies will weigh on company earnings. The company, which sells vouchers for meals and services, got 49 percent of its revenue from Latin America and the Caribbeans in 2012, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

John Wood Group Plc slid 3.8 percent to 652 pence after Deutsche Bank AG cut its rating on the shares to hold from buy, citing a lack of possible factors for gains and limited potential for earnings to grow in the next year.

Ziggo climbed 3.6 percent to 33.77 euros. Liberty Global, controlled by billionaire John Malone, and Ziggo plan to announce a deal as early as the middle of this month, according to people familiar with the matter. The two companies are finalizing the acquisition price and other terms, they said. Ziggo spokesman Martijn Jonker and Liberty Global spokesman Marcus Smith declined to comment.

Centamin Plc rallied 2.9 percent to 46.55 pence after the gold miner said preliminary results indicate full-year production of 356,943 ounces, up 36 percent from 2012. That exceeded the company’s previous forecast of 320,000 ounces.

Global markets:

Nikkei 15,908.88 -382.43 -2.35%

Hang Seng 22,684.15 -133.13 -0.58%

Shanghai Composite 2,045.71 -37.43 -1.80%

FTSE 6,747.51 +16.84 +0.25%

CAC 4,249.73 +2.08 +0.05%

DAX 9,461.64 +26.49 +0.28%

Crude oil $94.14 (+0.19%).

Gold $1240.90 (+0.19%).

European stocks traded mixed a little ahead of the release of U.S. data on business activity in the services sector. Meanwhile, we add that the course of trade influenced the Chinese report, which pointed to a deterioration in the non-manufacturing activity . U.S. index futures are little changed , while Asian shares declined.

The data showed that the expansion in the non-manufacturing sector in China has slowed moderately in the last month , against which the corresponding index reached its lowest level since August 2011 , which was mainly due to the weakening of the inflow of new labor. It became known from the study , which was conducted by Markit Economics and HSBC.

According to the report , the business activity index for the services sector amounted to 50.9 points in December , compared to 52.5 points in November. The latter result was largely in line with the results of a survey conducted by the All-China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing and the National Bureau of Statistics last week, which showed a sharp slowdown in China's non-manufacturing sector .

In addition, it was reported that the composite PMI from HSBC, which measures the efficiency in both sectors , namely manufacturing and the services sector fell in December to 51.2 points , compared to 52.3 points in November ( eight- max). On such a result is affected mostly weak pace of growth of production and new orders.

Note that service providers have signaled a modest growth rate of new orders in December , which was the weakest in the past six months.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.2 percent , after it ended last week virtually unchanged.

Report on the United States is forecast to show that the index of business activity in the service sector from the Institute for Supply Management rose to 54.6 last month from 53.9 in November. Separate release may show that factory orders world's largest economy grew by 1.8 percent in November , compared with a fall of 0.9 % a month earlier .

Cost Remy Cointreau fell 4.1 percent , after experts Natixis downgraded the stock to the level of " neutral" from "buy" , as Frederick Pflanzen resigned. He served as Chief Executive Officer.

Edenred shares fell 4.2 per cent , against the background of the fact that Natixis downgraded the stock to ' neutral ' from ' buy '.

The cost of John Wood Group Plc fell 2.6 percent after analysts at Deutsche Bank AG downgraded the shares to " hold " from " buy," citing a lack of potential factors and limited profit potential for earnings growth next year.

At the current moment

FTSE 100 6,727.18 -3.49 -0.05 %

CAC 40 4,249.34 +1.69 +0.04 %

DAX 9,450.63 +15.48 +0.16%

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index headed for its biggest loss in more than three weeks, as a gauge of China’s services industries dropped, signaling growth may slow in the world second-biggest economy.

Nikkei 225 15,908.88 -382.43 -2.35%

S&P/ASX 200 5,324.88 -25.22 -0.47%

Shanghai Сомпосите 2,045.71 -37.43 -1.80%

SoftBank Corp., a Japanese mobile phone operator, slid 3.5 percent after the rating of Sprint Corp., which SoftBank acquired last year, was cut at Cowen and Company.

Fast Retailing Co., Asia’s biggest apparel chain, lost 5.8 percent in Tokyo as the Nikkei 225 Stock Average slipped from a six-year high.

China Railway Group Ltd. slumped 3.3 percent in Hong Kong after China’s second-largest rail builder said its president died in an accident.