BERLIN, March 31 — European shares slipped in choppy trade today, widening a quarterly loss that would be the first in two years, as oil stocks slid on news that the United States was considering tapping into its oil reserves.
Oil and gas stocks fell 0.8 per cent as the United States weighed releasing a record amount of up to 180 million barrels from its strategic petroleum reserve to control prices that have surged in the wake of a conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The STOXX 600 is down about 5.8 per cent for the January-March period after seven straight quarters of gains, as investors remain circumspect in the face of the Ukraine crisis and its impact on inflation and economic growth.
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