The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.1% by 0708 GMT with Germany's DAX, traditionally sensitive to trade issues, down 0.2%.

A report that the United States is considering limits on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision added to the list of tensions between the two sides ahead of a summit later this month.

The STOXX 600 is down about 3% so far this month, on course for its first monthly decline this year as the tensions threaten to hurt global growth.

Auto shares slipped 0.4% and basic-resources stocks , among those first in the firing line, retreated 0.3%.

Britain's exporter-heavy FTSE 100, however, outperformed its peers and rose 0.4%, bolstered by Brexit-driven falls in the pound, which boost the foreign revenues of its internationally-focussed firms.

Marks & Spencer shares dropped more than 5% after the retailer reported its third straight decline in full-year profit, showing the pain of its latest attempt at a multi-year turnaround.

Shares of asset manager Intermediate Capital Group jumped to the top of STOXX 600 after posting full-year results.