Europe stocks down for 3rd week, commodities weigh
* FTSEurofirst 300 index down 0.1 pct; falls for 3rd week
* Banks top gainers in thin trade, utilities leading losers
* Strategists see no decisive trend change next week
By Peter Starck FRANKFURT, July 3 (Reuters) - European stocks fell on Friday, recording their third straight week of losses, led by utilities, oil & gas and basic resources while banks and media pulled in the opposite direction.
Volumes were thin in the absence of U.S. market participants due to the extended Fourth of July weekend.
"With U.S. markets closed today for the Independence Day holidays we have seen the major indexes lack direction," CMC Markets said in a note.
"Major stock specific stories have also been hard to come by today," CMC Markets added.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 0.1 percent lower at 842.52 points. It lost 0.2 percent over the week and has fallen 5.1 percent since its five-month high close on June 11. Continued...
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