European shares edge lower ahead of ECB meeting and U.S. earnings

European equities modestly declined on Thursday, with the STOXX Europe 600 index down about 0.2%, as investors awaited earnings results from major U.S. tech firms and a key meeting of the European Central Bank. The tech sector rose 0.4% while media stocks fell 1.5%, reflecting selective optimism. Capital-expenditure warnings from U.S. tech weighed, and investor attention turned to interest-rate policy as the ECB is expected to hold rates unchanged after several pauses. Banking stocks showed mixed reactions amid QT concerns.