European Stocks Decline; Benchmark Stoxx 600 Index Falls

European stocks declined as U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner said he supports the president’s call for action against Syria, offsetting better-than-forecast manufacturing data.

Vodafone Group Plc slipped 5 percent as shareholders weighed the details of the $130-billion deal to sell its stake in Verizon Wireless. Nokia Oyj soared 34 percent after Microsoft Corp. agreed to buy its handset business for 5.44 billion euros ($7.2 billion). Dufry AG, the operator of duty-free stores, climbed 3.4 percent after winning contracts in Brazil.