European shares end down on growth worries

FRANKFURT, July 6 (Reuters) - European equities fell for the third straight session on Monday as concerns about economic growth recovery took their toll on financial, oil & gas and basic resources stocks, sparking gains for defensive shares.

The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares closed unofficially down 1.0 percent at 833.77 points, its lowest close since June 23. The benchmark index fell as much as 2 percent earlier in the session.

Among Europe's oil majors, ENI (ENI.MI) fell 2.7 percent, BP (BP.L) declined 2.6 percent and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) lost 2.1 percent as the crude price gave up more than 3.5 percent to trade below $65 a barrel.

Shares in mining group Rio Tinto (RIO.L) fell 7 percent and steelmaker ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS) dropped 4.7 percent. The DJ Stoxx basic resources index .SXPP shed 5.2 percent.

Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) fell 3.2 percent, UniCredit (CRDI.MI) of Italy closed 2.9 percent lower and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) also was down 2.9 percent.

The day's gainers were found mainly among traditional defensives such as healthcare .SXDP, telecoms .SXKP and food & beverages .SX3P.

Pharma group Roche (ROG.VX) gained 2.3 percent, in telecoms Vodafone (VOD.L) added 1.7 percent and in the food & beverages sector British American Tobacco (BATS.L) rose 1.8 percent.

Wall Street's leading equity indexes .DJI .SPX .IXIC were down by between 0.4 percent and 1.2 percent at the close of European trading. (Reporting by Peter Starck)