STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-Dutch banks fall on Moody's downgrade

Shares in Dutch banks fall as Moody's Investors Service cuts its fundamental credit outlook for the sector to "negative" from "stable."

"Looking ahead, we do not foresee any major improvement in the profitability levels of the Dutch banking system given, notably, the structural high cost base of the Dutch banks," Virginie Merlin, Moody's lead analyst for the Dutch banking system, says in a report. [ID:nWLA8337]

ING (ING.AS) shares are down 4.5 percent at 6.68 euros, while SNS Reaal (SR.AS) falls 2.4 percent to 3.80 euros and Aegon (AEGN.AS) slips 4.1 percent to 4.10 euros.

Reuters Messaging: ben.berkowitz.reuters.com@reuters.net