European stocks edged lower on Thursday after a record finish in the U.S., as traders balanced optimism over stimulus talks with worries over the worsening coronavirus situation and trade uncertainty.
There is optimism over a potential U.S. fiscal stimulus bill, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the $908 billion plan put together by a group of centrist Democrats and Republicans could be a basis for negotiation. They have previously held out for a stimulus bill exceeding $2 trillion.
After the U.K. granted emergency approval to the COVID-19 vaccine from drugmaker Pfizer PFE, +3.52% and its partner BioNTech BNTX, +6.21%, expectations are building for more countries, and more vaccines, to get the initial approval. The vaccine developed by drugmaker AstraZeneca AZN, -0.