European stocks fell for a third straight day as German investor confidence declined more than forecast and the International Monetary Fund cut its global growth outlook.

In Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, the ZEW Center for European Economic Research’s index of investor and analyst expectations fell to 36.3 in April from 48.5 last month. Economists in a survey had predicted a reading of 41.

The IMF trimmed its 2013 growth forecasts for a fourth consecutive time, saying the global economy will expand 3.3 percent. The Washington-based fund had previously estimated 3.5 percent expansion this year.

National benchmark indexes declined in all 18 western European markets, except Iceland. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index slipped 0.6 percent, Germany’s DAX Index slid 0.4 percent and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.7 percent.

Michael Page plunged 5 percent to 377.4 pence, the biggest drop since May 4, 2012. The recruitment company reported a 6.7 percent drop in first-quarter gross profit and forecast the second quarter will be “challenging.”

LVMH retreated 3.8 percent to 126.25 euros, the lowest since Nov. 16. The maker of Louis Vuitton bags said fashion and leather goods revenue rose 3 percent in the three months through March, excluding currency swings and acquisitions, the weakest quarterly rate since the final period of 2009. Analysts had predicted 5 percent growth.

Stockmann Oyj lost 3 percent to 11.30 euros, the lowest price in almost four years. The Finnish department-store owner said full-year profit will miss forecasts as a recession in the northernmost country using the euro hurt first-quarter revenue.

Danone rose 2.2 percent to 55.68 euros after the Paris- based maker of Evian bottled-water and Activia yogurt reported first-quarter sales growth that beat estimates as strong demand for baby food in emerging markets offset weak dairy sales in Europe. Comparable sales gained 5.6 percent, topping the 4 percent average of 14 analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Actelion Ltd. gained 3.7 percent to 54.30 francs after the Swiss drugmaker that gets almost all its sales from a treatment for a rare lung disease reported quarterly profit that beat estimates and said it may raise its full-year forecast.

U.S. stock futures rose as housing starts and corporate earnings topped estimates.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei  13,221.44 -54.22 -0.41%

Hang Seng 21,672.03 -100.64 -0.46%

Shanghai Composite 2,194.85 +12.90 +0.59%

FTSE  6,339.78 -3.82 -0.06%

CAC  3,719.68 +9.20 +0.25%

DAX 7,732.74 +20.11 +0.26%

Crude oil $88.53 -0.20%

Gold $1397.10 +2.64%

European stocks slid for a third day as German investor confidence declined more than forecast. Asian shares retreated while U.S. index futures indicated a rebound from the biggest drop in five months.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) fell 0.7 percent to 288.31 at 10:01 a.m. in London, extending the decline over the past three days to 2.3 percent.

Michael Page plunged 7.6 percent to 367.1 pence, the biggest decline since March 2012. The recruitment company reported a 6.7 percent drop in first-quarter gross profit and forecast the second quarter will be “challenging.”

LVMH retreated 3.7 percent to 126.45 euros, the lowest since Nov. 19. The maker of luxury goods said revenue climbed 6 percent to 6.95 billion euros ($9.1 billion) in the three months through March, meeting the average of estimates. Sales rose 7 percent excluding exchange-rate fluctuations and acquisitions, compared with 14 percent in the first quarter of last year and 8 percent in the final three months of 2012.

Stockmann Oyj slumped 5.9 percent to 10.96 euros, the lowest price in almost four years. The Finnish department-store owner said full-year profit will miss forecasts as a recession in the northernmost country using the euro hurt revenue in the first quarter.

Danone (BN) rose 3.8 percent to 56.52 euros, the highest since January 2008, after the Paris-based maker of Evian bottled-water and Activia yogurt reported first-quarter sales growth that beat estimates as strong demand for baby food in emerging markets offset weak dairy sales in Europe. Comparable sales gained 5.6 percent, topping the 4 percent average of 14 analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

At that moment:

FTSE 100 6,313.76 -29.84 -0.47%

CAC 40 3,693.96 -16.52 -0.45%

DAX 7,681.86 -30.77 -0.40%

Asian stocks fell, dragging the regional benchmark equities gauge lower for a second day, led by raw-material producers amid concern slower growth in China will curb the global economic recovery.

Nikkei 225 13,221.44 -54.22 -0.41%

Hang Seng 21,763.94 -8.73 -0.04%

S&P/ASX 200 4,950.8 -17.11 -0.34%

Shanghai Composite 2,194.85 +12.90 +0.59%

Glencore International Plc, the world’s biggest publicly traded commodities supplier, dropped 2.5 percent in Hong Kong.

Daphne International Holdings Ltd. slumped 7.8 percent after the Chinese shoemaker reported first-quarter sales declined.

Softbank Corp. sank 6.8 percent after Dish Network Corp. topped the Japanese wireless carrier’s bid for control of Sprint Nextel Corp., the No. 3 mobile-phone company in the U.S.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 13,275.66 -209.48 -1.55%

Hang Seng 21,807 -282.05 -1.28%

S&P/ASX 200 4,967.9 -45.63 -0.91%

Shanghai Composite 2,181.94 -24.84 -1.13%

FTSE 100 6,343.6 -40.79 -0.64 %

CAC 40 3,710.48 -18.82 -0.50 %

DAX 7,712.63 -32.14 -0.41 %

DJIA 14,599.20 -265.86 -1.79%

S&P 500 1,552.36 -36.49 -2.30%

NASDAQ 3,216.49 -78.46 -2.38%