China, Ireland drag European shares lower

                                
 * FTSEurofirst 300 index down 0.5 pct
                                
 * Miners slip as China raises bank reserve requirements
                                
 * Banks lower on euro zone peripheral debt concerns
                                
 * For up-to-the minute market news, click on [STXNEWS/EU] 
                                
 By Joanne Frearson 
                                
 LONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Friday on
global growth fears after China raised bank reserve requirements
and on investor concerns about Ireland's debt crisis.
                                
 The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top
shares closed down 0.5 percent at 1,102.18 points and ended the
week 0.2 percent lower.
                                
 But the index was off earlier lows after the Economic Cycle
Research Institute, a New York-based independent forecasting
group, said its Weekly Leading Index, a measure of future U.S.
economic growth rose to a 25-week high. [ID:nNLLJME6NI]
                                
 "The week has been dominated by euro zone peripheral debt
concerns and I sense very few people want to hold onto positions
over the weekend," Jeremy Batstone-Carr, head of equities at
Charles Stanley said.
                                
 "The Chinese move had a negative impact on the miners, but
the big one investors are watching for is what the Chinese will
decide to do about their base rates. We will not get any further
information of this until the next inflation data comes out."
                                
 Miners fell on the news, with Antofagasta <ANTO.L>, BHP
Billiton <BLT.L>, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation
<ENRC.L> and Xstrata <XTA.L> down 1.3 to 1.8 percent.
                                
 The People's Bank of China said it would increase banks'
required reserves for the second time in two weeks to fight
against inflation, a move that could limit future Chinese
consumption. [ID:nL3E6MJ0N8]
                                
 Market sentiment was also knocked after a poll of
participants at a European Banking Congress said a rescue
package for Ireland, may not be enough to prevent contagion in
the euro zone. [ID:nLDE6AI0YG]
                                
 EU sources have said a financial aid plan to help Ireland
cope with its battered banks would be unveiled next week.
[ID:nLDE68T0MG]
                                
 
                                
 BANKS FALL
                                
 Banks, sensitive to changes on the macro environment
featured among the worst performers, with the STOXX Europe 600
Banks <.SX7P> down 1.6 percent.
                                
 BBVA <BBVA.MC>, Banco Santander <SAN.MC>, Standard Chartered
<STAN.L>, Societe Generale <SOGN.PA> and Natixis <CNAT.PA>
slipped 1 to 2.3 percent.
                                
 Elsewhere, the Euro STOXX 50 <.STOXX50E>, the euro zone's
blue-chip index, fell 0.3 percent at 2,845.75 points, with
technical analysts saying European equity indices had entered a
period of consolidation.
                                
 "Below 2,880, expect a continuation of consolidation, with a
retest of 2,775," Trading Central technical analyst Nicolas
Suiffet said. "Only a push above 2880 would reinstate a bullish
bias."
                                
 Across Europe, the FTSE 100 <.FTSE> index was down 0.6
percent, Germany's DAX <.GDAXI> was 0.2 percent higher and
France's CAC 40 <.FCHI> was down 0.2 percent.
                                
 The Thomson Reuters Peripheral Eurozone Countries Index
<.TRXFLDPIPU> was down 0.2 percent.
 (Reporting by Joanne Frearson)