BP gains on higher quarterly upstream energy output forecast
Fincantieri shines after Norwegian Cruise Line deal
STOXX 600 down 0.2

April 9 Reuters European shares slipped on Tuesday ahead of this week39;s U.S. inflation data and a European Central Bank monetary policy decision, while diagnostics firm Biomerieux was set for its best day in more than two years on a new strategic plan.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 index was down 0.2, as of 0838 GMT, after notching its strongest session in more than two weeks on Monday.

Traders kept away from big bets ahead of the U.S. inflation data on Wednesday and the ECB39;s decision on Thursday that could determine the outlook for interest rate cuts.

Policymakers in Europe will be quite relieved to see that things are back on track … so they can afford to wait, which is why we think an April rate cut is unlikely, said Maximilian Kunkel, CIO Germany and GFIW at UBS Global Wealth Management.

On the day, euro zone banks were little changed after an ECB survey showed lenders lowered the bar on mortgage approvals last quarter for the first time in over two years, but demand for credit kept falling amid high borrowing costs and a stagnant economy.

Data overall has not indicated a collapse in lending and economic activity in the euro zone pointed to stabilisation, Kunkel said.

BP rose 1.8, steering a 0.8 gain in the oil and gas sector, after the UK oil giant forecast firstquarter upstream production of both oil and gas as well as…