European Stocks Rally Ends

European stocks fell even though they rose four times in the past five days after investors considered the outlook for global economic growth and stimulus.

Shares of exporters fell after worse-than-forecast Chinese trade data. Continental AG led a drop in carmakers, losing 5.3 percent, after its sales missed analysts’ projections. Renault SA slid 3.5 percent after France, the company’s biggest shareholder, said it would oppose a merger with Japanese partner Nissan Motor Co. Personal and household-goods shares slid, with Hermes International SCA and Christian Dior SE down at least 2.1 percent.

"There is some caution on the consumer side and export-led sectors that comes from questions about the Chinese economy and emerging markets as a whole,” said Pierre Mouton, a fund manager at Notz, Stucki & Cie. in Geneva. “The economic numbers from China are not very good for the time being.”

The StoxxEurope 600 Index lost 1.1 percent at the close of trading. Portugal’s PSI 20Index slid 4.1 percent, the most among western-European markets. The nation’sopposition parties agreed to join forces to oust the current administration,boosting prospects of a new government that’s against spending cuts linked toan international bailout.