In London, FTSE 100 shed 0.2% at 6,700.80. U.K. stocks fell, led by Antofagasta, Xstrata and BHP Billiton Ltd. as copper prices reversed earlier gains in Asia. BHP Billiton dropped 1.2%. Marks & Spencer Group limited declines after the company beat analysts estimates and advanced 2.9%. Next also advanced 1.3%. Unilever climbed 3.7% amid takeovers in the food industry. Wolseley slipped 2.3% after U.S.-based Home Depot lowered its profit forecast.

In Germany, DAX 30 lost 0.3% at 8,051.82. DaimlerChrysler gained 1.8% as UBS raised its price target to 90 euros from 75 euros and kept its buy rating. The broker suggested six ways to improve Daimler truck division, including a sale of its Japanese business Fuso and job reductions in Germany.

In France, the CAC 40 dipped 0.3% at 6,085.28. Carrefour declined 0.8% ahead of the release of the first-quarter revenue of the French supermarket chain, due out after the Paris close. In another development, Groupe Danone offered to buy Royal Numico $16.8 billion in cash to gain the biggest share of the baby-food market in Europe. Numico shot up 23.5%, while Danone lost 1%.