European stocks close lower as job vacancy falls

ISTANBUL 

European stock markets closed in negative territory on Thursday as job vacancy rate fell in the third quarter. 

The STOXX Europe 600, which includes around 90% of the market capitalization of the European market in 17 countries, was down 12 point, or 2.85%, at 429.91.

The UK's FTSE 100 lost 69 points, or 0.93%, to close at 7,426. Germany's DAX 30 dove 473 points, or 3.28%, to end the session at 13,986.

France's CAC 40 decreased 208 points, or 3.09%, to finish the fourth trading day of the week at 6,522.

Italy's FTSE MIB was the worst performer of the day by plummeting 847 points, or 3.45%, to 23,726.

Spain's IBEX 35 declined 141 points, or 1.7%, to 8,218 at the closing bell.

The job vacancy rate was 3.1% in the euro area in the third quarter of this year, down from 3.2% in the previous quarter, according to figures from Eurostat released earlier.

The job vacancy rate in the EU was 2.9% in the third quarter of 2022, down from 3% in the previous quarter, the bloc's statistical office Eurostat said.