LONDON — European stock markets were in retreat in midmorning trading on Wednesday, with the exception of the DAX in Frankfurt, which was up 0.1 percent to 10,269.27.
The FTSE MIB in Milan and the FTSE 100 in London both fell 0.4 percent, to 17,955.45 and to 6,208.25 respectively, followed by the CAC 40 in Paris, 0.2 percent to 4,498.88.
The euro traded at $1.11, while the pound fetched $1.46 and the Swiss franc equaled $1.01 at 10:40 a.m. CET.
Retail and luxury stocks were uneven, with the morning’s biggest gainers including Italia Independent Group, 1.9 percent to 18.65 euros; French Connection, 1.4 percent to 0.41 pounds, and Britain’s Bonmarche Holdings, 1.1 percent to 1.33 pounds.
Among the morning’s biggest fallers were Zalando, 2.1 percent to 25.91 euros; Jimmy Choo, 2.5 percent to 1.17 pounds; Koovs.com, 2.5 percent to 0.39 pounds, and Hugo Boss and Debenhams, 1.3 percent to 54.68 euros and 0.73 pounds respectively.