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Jan 30 (Reuters) - European shares dropped on Thursday as
concerns mounted about the economic impact of an epidemic in
China that has now claimed 170 lives.
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX dropped 0.9% by 0805
GMT, heading for its sharpest weekly decline in nearly four
months.
All major European subsectors were in the red with miners
.SXPP , which rely heavily on China for their metal exports,
down 1.4%.
The energy index .SXEP slipped 2.2%, pressured by losses
in London-listed shares of Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L after the
company's quarterly profit missed expectations on weaker oil and
gas prices. After the U.S. Federal Reserve stood pat on interest rates,
as expected, investor attention now shifts to the Bank of
England's decision due later in the day, with expectations of
the first rate cut in more than three years standing at nearly