European shares headed for weekly gains after ECB rate cut
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Oct 18 (Reuters) -European shares opened muted on Friday, after the European Central Bank's latest rate cut and upbeat earnings prompted strong gains in the previous session, with the main stocks gauge headed for a second weekly rise.
The Europe-wide STOXX 600 .STOXX index was down 0.05% at 0718 GMT, with real estate firms .SX86P leading losses down 0.6%, while basic resources .SXPP and autos .SXAP helped to keep it afloat.
The ECB trimmed its interest rates on Thursday to 3.25%, and while President Christine Lagarde did not provide hints on future moves, four sources close to the matter told Reuters a fourth cut in December is likely unless key data turns south in the coming weeks.
In single stocks, Swedish truck maker Volvo's VOLVb.ST shares fell 3% after the company reported a bigger-than-expected drop in its third-quarter adjusted operating profit and said it expects roughly unchanged demand next year.
British American Tobacco BATS.L said it is close to settling its Canadian tobacco litigation, sending shares down 2%.
Switzerland's Avolta AVOL.S and Barry Callebaut BARN.S were up between 2% and 3% after receiving upgrades from Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley, respectively.
Reporting by Paolo Laudani in Gdansk and Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan
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