European shares slid on Thursday after US legislation on Hong Kong fueled more worries that a "phase one" trade deal between Washington and Beijing would not be formed anytime soon.Most European subsectors were deep in the red, with miners , technology and oil - gas companies - which are most exposed to global trade tensions - dropping about 1 per cent each.In a move sure to anger China, U.S President Donald Trump is expected to sign two bills passed by Congress intended to support protesters in Hong Kong.
That followed a Reuters report that completion of a "phase one" US-China trade deal could slide into next year.The reports sent the pan-European STOXX 600 index sliding 0.7 per cent in its fourth day of losses, while trade-sensitive shares of Germany and France dropped 0.6 per cent and 0.7 per cent, respectively.British postal company Royal Mail slumped 13 per cent to the bottom of the STOXX 600, after saying its plan to expand its parcels business internationally was behind schedule even as it posted a first-half operating profit.Thyssenkrupp dropped 8.8 per cent.
The German conglomerate scrapped its dividend after its full-year net loss widened five-fold.Fiat Chrysler was down 3.6 per cent after General Motors filed a racketeering lawsuit, alleging that its rival bribed United Auto Workers (UAW) union officials over many years to corrupt the bargaining process and gain advantages.