European equities declined for a fifth straight session on Thursday 8 December 2022, with banks and consumer staples standing out as weak spots, amid mounting concerns about an impending recession. The pan-European Stoxx 600 slipped 0.2 per cent, with investors jittery ahead of a slew of interest rate decisions from major central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank (ECB) next week. “We’re in a wait-and-see mode at the moment. Next week is a huge week for all markets and that is really going to set the tone between now and year-end,” said Hugh Gimber, global…