By Sruthi Shankar and Johann M Cherian (Reuters) -European stocks settled lower on Thursday, after the European Central Bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points as expected, and left the door open for further easing to support a struggling economy amid heightened political risks.

Though the bank stayed its course with a quarter-point reduction, its leader said the institution is concerned about the eurozone's weakening outlook, after a string of worse-than-expected data.