European Stocks Are Little Changed Before U.S. ADP Jobs Report

Bloomberg (04/12) -- European stocks were little changed, after yesterday’s biggest decline in  three months, as investors awaited  reports on U.S. jobs, services and home sales. U.S. futures rose, while Asian shares fell. Tesco Plc climbed 1.2 percent after reporting quarterly sales that matched analysts’ estimates.  Elekta AB dropped 4.5 percent after  posting quarterly profit that missed forecasts. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added less than 0.1 percent to 319.25 at 8:06 a.m. in London.  The region-wide benchmark fell 1.5  percent yesterday, the biggest drop since August, as investors weighed valuations before U.S.  jobs data this week. It has still gained 14 percent this year as central banks around the world pledged to keep interest rates low for  a prolonged period.  Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures increased 0.2 percent, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 1.3 percent. A private jobs report by ADP Research Institute at 8:15 a.m. New York time may show U.S. employers last month added  170,000 workers, the most since June, according to the median forecast of economists in a Bloomberg survey. Labor Department  data on Dec. 6 may show the unemployment rate fell to 7.2 percent, matching the lowest level in five years. A release at 10 a.m. in Washington may show the pace of new-home sales was an annualized 429,000 in October, according to  economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The Commerce Department will publish figures for both September and October today,  after a 16-day government shutdown delayed earlier data. Another report at the same time may show the Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index fell to 55 in November  from 55.4 a month earlier.