European shares fell on Thursday, with the London Stock Exchange leading the market lower on news that Borse Dubai will sell its full stake in the company and ARM Holdings extending the previous session's steep losses, tracking its weaker US peers.
Shares in the London Stock Exchange fell 8.2 per cent after a source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Borse Dubai, the biggest investor in the LSE, was selling its stake in the British exchange, which will raise around 1.5 billion pounds ($2.23 billion).
British chipmaker ARM fell 4.8 per cent, after slipping more than 6 per cent in the previous session on concerns over weak computer sales weighing on the technology sector. The STOXX Europe 600 Technology Index fell 2.4 per cent, the top sectoral decliner in Europe.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was down 0.9 per cent at 1,572.27 points by 0817 GMT, after falling more than 1 per cent in the previous session.
However, energy stocks rose 1.7 per cent, helped by a sharp rally in oil prices following tensions in Yemen. Germany's DAX, which benefits when the oil price is lower, fell 1.5 per cent.