MILAN (Reuters) - European shares fell back on Thursday, with chemicals maker Evonik (DE:EVKn) among the worst performers, as investors took a breather after five straight days of gains brought a top European equity index to a one-month high.
By 0820 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 (FTEU3) was down 0.2 percent at 1,339.76 points.
Evonik was the top loser, down 6 percent, after it flagged a 19 percent decline in 2016 adjusted core earnings, hurt by falling prices at its poultry feed ingredients business, its main profit driver last year.
Sportswear maker Adidas (DE:ADSGn) also fell 1.2 percent after reporting a larger than-expected net loss of 44 million euros for the fourth quarter as sales rose 15 percent, broadly in line with expectations.
Miners (SXPP), however, were up 1.7 percent as London copper prices hit their highest since mid-November.