*
* Milan-listed stocks outperform, led by banks
* Powell-fuelled rally runs out of steam
* Airbus rises after strong delivery numbers
* Chips stocks fare better on TSMC results
(Recasts, updates to close, adds quote)
By Agamoni Ghosh
July 10 (Reuters) - European shares closed lower for a
fourth straight session on Wednesday as concerns about trade
tensions and a weak global economy highlighted by Fed chair
Jerome Powell overshadowed short-lived optimism of an interest
rate cut later in the month.
Powell said trade uncertainties and concerns about the
global economy continue to weigh on the U.S. economic outlook
and the U.S. central bank stands ready to "act as appropriate"
to sustain a decade-long expansion.
Markets jumped on the comments as sufficiently dovish
pushing the S&P 500 above the 3,000 mark for the first time and
sending most European indices into positive territory.
The optimism was however, short-lived with all major indices
slipping back into negative territory and the pan-European
index STOXX 600 .STOXX closing 0.2% lower.
"So far the central banker hasn't given much away in terms
of clues as to possible changes to monetary policy, although
earlier in the day, he warned that uncertainties have
continued," said David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets.
"Some dealers are sitting on their hands until they get a
clear view from Powell."
Powell's statements on the global economy come a day after
German chemical giant BASF BASFn.DE warned that the protracted
trade war between the United States and China was likely to eat
into corporate earnings, in particular for the agricultural and
auto sectors.
Bond proxies such as real estate .SX86P and telecom
.SXKP were the biggest losers but banks .SX7P and Milan's
bank-heavy FTMIB index .FTMIB outperformed as robust
industrial data out of France and Italy earlier in the day
helped push euro zone bond yields higher.
A surge in crude prices and gains for metals helped energy
and mining majors helped the oil and gas .SXEP and basic
resources .SXPP sectors gain nearly 0.6% each.
Chip stocks led by AMS AMS.S also fared better after TSMC
reported its best monthly sales in June since December.
Planemaker Airbus AIR.PA rose 1.5% after confirming
deliveries rose by 28% in the first-half of the year, putting it
ahead of Boeing for the first time in eight years. Among individual losers, British recruiter Hays Plc HAYS.L
was down 6.6% as peer Pagegroup PAGE.L tumbled 15% after
issuing a profit warning, while fashion retailer Superdry
SDRY.L slid on posting disappointing full-year results.