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Dec 20 Reuters European shares were on course to post their worst week in three months on Friday, as U.S. Presidentelect Donald Trump39;s comments about potential tariffs on the European Union spooked investors already worried about the U.S. rate outlook.
The panEuropean STOXX 600 index fell 1.1 to its lowest in nearly a month and was on course for its biggest weekly decline since early September.
Trump said that the EU must purchase U.S. oil and gas to make up for its tremendous deficit with the world39;s largest economy, or face tariffs.
There39;s over 1 trillion euros of goods traded between the U.S. and the EU each year, and with domestic demand flagging in many continental nations, any question mark over exports is going to shake confidence to its core, said Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown.
All the major European subsectors declined, with banks, aerospace and defence and miners leading losses, falling between 1.2 and 1.7.
The German DAX and France39;s CAC 40 fell more than 1 each, while Italy39;s FTSE MIB dropped 1.3.
Investors had already begun pricing in the potential risk, but the Presidentelect39;s comments today will have focussed minds, said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell.
Britain39;s FTSE 100 posted a relatively smaller decline, down 0.7. Data showed British retail sales rose by a…