Telcoms, miners weigh down European shares

* FTSEurofirst 300 index closes down 0.2 pct

* Vodafone slips, disappointing results

* HSBC gains on Q3 profit

By Joanne Frearson

LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - European shares closed lower on Tuesday, snapping a four-day winning streak, weighed down by telecoms after disappointing results from Vodafone (VOD.L) and mining stocks tracking weaker metal prices.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top shares closed down 0.2 percent at 1,010.23 points.

The benchmark index has gained nearly 57 percent since reaching a record low in early March and is up 21 percent for the year.

"We have had a fairly uncertain day, sometimes positive and sometimes negative. The market has been fairly indecisive about which way it wants to go. Much of it hinges on the progress Wall Street makes," said Mike Lenhoff, a strategist at Brewin Dolphin.

"I don't know how confident people feel. I think in many ways they are overwhelmed by the fact the market has been so defiant in its progress."

Telecom stock featured among the biggest decliners. Vodafone (VOD.L) slipped 1.5 percent after the group's earnings margin declined 2.1 percentage points, due to tough competition in emerging markets such as India and a turnaround plan in Turkey. [ID:nL619511]

Miners were on the downside after metal prices retreated. Anglo American (AAL.L), Antofagasta (ANTO.L), Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC.L) and Xstrata (XTA.L) were down 1.4 to 2.5 percent. Carmakers were also lower, with Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) down 8 percent. Qatar plans to sell up to half its Volkswagen preference shares (VOWG_p.DE), cashing in on recent gains and raising around 1.6 billion euros ($2.4 billion) for possible future deals. [ID:nLA555332]

Volkswagen preference shares were down 15.8 percent.

HSBC GAINS ON Q3 PROFIT

Banking stocks were in mixed. However, Europe's biggest bank HSBC (HSBA.L) gained 4 percent after it said its underlying third-quarter profits were significantly ahead of a year ago and losses on U.S. consumer loans had shown their first fall in three years. [ID:nLA616591]

Barclays (BARC.L), Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX) and Banco Santander (SAN.MC) were down 0.7 to 5.1 percent.