European indices fell by around two per cent today (Thursday 4 February) giving further indications that investors are becoming more risk averse, according to City Index.

The stockbroker said that with mining and banking stocks falling and commodity prices suffering from the strength of the US dollar, investors have been gambling that tomorrow’s figure confirming the total number of employed Americans (known as the non-farm payroll number) will be down.

It follows today’s jobless claims data from the US which came out much worse than anticipated.

Nick Serff, market analyst at City Index said that investors have moved more to the defensive sectors and left riskier equities such as banking and commodity stocks today.

He said, ‘This emphasises that perhaps optimism for a strong non farm payroll number tomorrow is drying up.’

City Index’s daily reported noted that Shell's results have added to the uncertainty of energy outlook for 2010 created by BP's numbers earlier in the week.

Crude Oil prices are also off by over two per cent today too and so this is also dragging down the prices of energy firms today.

The ECB and MPC both left rates on hold this afternoon with the European Central Bank giving no signs as to when it would begin withdrawing liquidity.

Continued worries over Greece and other peripheral EU countries could lead to rates staying low in the Euro zone for longer than expected, the stockbroker added.