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BP gains on higher quarterly upstream energy output

forecast

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Fincantieri shines after Norwegian Cruise Line ( NCLH ) deal

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STOXX 600 down 0.2%

(Updated at 0838 GMT)

By Johann M Cherian and Ozan Ergenay

April 9 (Reuters) - European shares slipped on Tuesday

ahead of this week'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 pan-European 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 ECB'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 first-quarter

upstream production of both oil and gas as well as low-carbon

energy to be higher than the previous three months.

The basic resources sector climbed nearly 1.4% as

Shanghai copper prices traded at record highs on optimism around

positive factory data out of major economies.

Biomerieux jumped 7.4% to the top of the benchmark

index after the French company reported upbeat first-quarter

organic growth and presented a new strategic plan.

Amplifon dropped 4.4% to the bottom of the

benchmark index after competition authority AGCM said the retail

market for hearing aids in Italy lacks transparency on pricing

and services offered.

Atos dropped 6.5% in volatile trade after the

struggling French IT consulting firm posted an update on its

financial restructuring plan.

Fincantieri gained 5.3%, highest since June 2021,

after the Italian shipbuilder finalised a deal with Norwegian

Cruise Line ( NCLH ) to supply four new cruise ships.