Profit taking knocks European chip stocks lower

BE Semiconductor Industries NV

Tue 08:15

** European chip stocks fall following a wave of profit-taking that hit Asian and U.S. stock markets
** European tech index .SX8P is down around 2.5%
** Shares in Germany's Aixtron AIXGn.DE and Infineon IFXGn.DE are down around 5%
** Shares in STMicro STMPA.PA, ASM International ASMI.AS, ASML ASML.AS, BESI BESI.AS are down between 3.8% and 5.5%
** "The weakness of technology stocks worldwide is unsettling investors, while new momentum from the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran is lacking," noted Jochen Stanzl, analyst at Consorsbank

 (Reporting by Emanuele Berro)
 ((emanuele.berro@thomsonreuters.com))