European stock close

European stocks fell from a five-year high as the European Commission cut its growth forecast for the euro area and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG retreated after reporting results.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.3 percent to 321.67 at 4:33 p.m. in London. The benchmark gauge has still soared 15 percent in 2013 as the Federal Reserve maintained stimulus measures and the European Central Bank cut interest rates to a record low. The ECB will make its next announcement on monetary policy on Nov. 7.

The executive arm of the European Union trimmed its forecast for euro-area growth next year as the economy struggles to gain momentum with the debt crisis dragging into a fifth year and unemployment at a record. Gross domestic product in the 17-nation currency bloc will rise by 1.1 percent in 2014, less than the 1.2 percent forecast in May.

The commission forecast that France’s budget deficit will be 3.7 percent of GDP in 2015, which would mean it misses a deadline to reduce the shortfall to 3 percent by then.

A U.S. government release on Thursday is forecast to show the world’s largest economy grew at a 2 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, compared with a 2.5 percent increase in the previous three months. Economists predict a report the next day will show U.S. payrolls climbed by 120,000 in October, according to a separate survey.

National benchmark indexes fell in all of the 18 western European markets, except Portugal and Ireland.

FTSE 100 6,746.84 -16.78 -0.25% CAC 40 4,253.34 -35.25 -0.82% DAX 9,009.11 -28.12 -0.31%

BMW slid 2.7 percent to 81.38 euros, its biggest drop since Aug. 27. The automaker reported a 3.7 percent decline in third-quarter earnings before interest and taxes as spending on expansion offset stronger demand for the 3-Series sedan.

RSA plunged 6.5 percent to 120.7 pence, the largest slide in eight months, after saying wind damage in Europe and adverse weather in Canada will push return on equity below 10 percent for the year. That compares with a previous target range in August of 10 percent to 12 percent.

Bouygues declined 2.7 percent to 28.35 euros, the largest retreat in two months. Orange said it has no plans to change its pricing structure.

Beiersdorf climbed 5.6 percent to 73.62 euros after saying sales will rise 6 percent to 7 percent this year. The Hamburg-based company had previously forecast revenue would increase 5 percent to 6 percent.

Marks & Spencer Group Plc (MKS), the U.K.’s largest clothing retailer, advanced 4.3 percent to 508 pence after reporting the smallest decline in general-merchandise sales in more than two years. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 1.3 percent in the quarter ended Sept. 28, M&S said. That beat the median estimate of 17 analysts for a 1.5 percent drop.