European shares decline, BOE minutes show split, Jackson Hole eyed

European stock markets ended mostly lower on Wednesday, as investors shifted their focus to central bank policy ahead of the Jackson Hole symposium in Wyoming this week.

-  Stoxx      600   lost 0.06 percent or 0.19 points to  320.15

The benchmark gauge rallied 1.8 percent in the past two days as concern eased over the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, closing 3.3 percent from a low on Aug. 8.

European shares have been buoyant in recent days on expectations interest rates in Europe and the U.S. are likely to remain low well through 2015.

-  Stoxx 50   dropped 0.25% or 7.61 points to 3083.50

In the U.K., two members of the Bank of England`s interest-rate-setting committee voted to raise rates by 0.25 basis points in August for the first time since July 2011, according to minutes released on Wednesday.

The British pound rose against the euro and dollar following the news. This came after weaker-than-expected inflation data on Tuesday helped curb expectations of a rate hike.

Economists had speculated that the central bank could be ready to raise its benchmark interest rate - even as early as this year.

Wall Street, meanwhile, traded relatively flatly on Wednesday.

At 2 p.m. ET, the U.S. Federal Reserve will releases minutes from its July 29-30 meeting, at which the central bank reduced its monthly bond buys by another $10 billion. Purchases are expected to end in October.

The minutes come two days before an annual economic gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at which Fed Chair Janet Yellen and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi are both speaking.

-The British  FTSE 100   lost 0.35% or 23.83 points to  6755.48

-The French  CAC 40   lost 0.32% or 13.66 points to   4240.79

-Frankfurt’s  DAX 30   lost 0.21% or 19.11 points to  9314.57

Meanwhile, shares in Heineken closed over 8 percent higher after the Dutch brewer reported better-than-expected operating profit for its first half.

Rival brewer Carlsberg closed around 2.5 percent lower after it issued an earnings warning over the impact of the Ukrainian crisis. The Danish company, which makes roughly 35 percent of its operating profit in Russia, lowered its guidance for full-year operating profit on Wednesday.

Balfour Beatty closed around 6.7 percent lower after the U.K. engineering company rejected another merger proposal by Carillion.

Carillion shares closed roughly 2 percent lower.