European shares lose ground on real estate, tech losses
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France's Accor gains on Barclays upgrade
Belgium's Umicore jumps on JPM upgrade
STOXX 600 slips as real estate, technology stocks weigh
Updated at 1600 GMT
By Shashwat Chauhan, Jesus Calero and Shristi Achar A
June 19 (Reuters) -European shares ended lower on Wednesday, pressured by losses in real estate and technology stocks, while UK stocks were buoyed by metal miners as investors digested its inflation data.
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX closed down almost 0.2%, with the real estate sector .SXP86 falling 1.2% and technology stocks .SX8P dropping 1.1%.
Basic resources stocks .SXPP added 0.6%, tracking a rebound in metal prices and leading sectoral gains. MET/L
Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE reversed earlier losses to close up 0.2%. Data showed UK inflation returned to its 2% target in May for the first time in nearly three years, but underlying price pressures remained strong, meaning the Bank of England (BoE) is likely to wait longer before cutting interest rates.
"Economies are stagnant, but no worse. So the cost of being too dovish on inflation and seeing it re-accelerate is a greater risk for (the BoE) than keeping things tighter for another meeting or two in search of more data," said Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm.
Market focus will now shift to interest rate decisions from central banks in Britain, Norway and Switzerland later this week.
European shares saw sharp losses last week after France's presidentcalled a snap election, with its high debt levels a source of concern for market participants.
The European Commission said France and six other countries should be disciplined for running budget deficits in excess of European Union limits, with deadlines for reducing the gaps to be set in November.
Latest polls suggest Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party is leading ahead of the first round of the French parliamentary election.
The French benchmark CAC 40 .FCHI closed nearly 0.8% lower.
Travel and leisure stocks .SXTP added 0.6% to the pan-European index, boosted by a 1.4% rise in Accor ACCP.PA after Barclays upgraded the hotel group to "overweight" from "equal weight".
SMA Solar Technology AG S92G.DE plunged 31% after the German solar power parts supplier cut its profit guidance, citing political uncertainty.
Belgian metal recycling group Umicore UMI.BR jumped 3.4% on a J.P. Morgan double upgrade.
Trading was light in the absence of U.S. participants as markets there were shut for a public holiday.
Reporting by Shashwat and Shristi Achar A in Bengaluru and Jesus Calero in Gdansk; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Mark Potter
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