Further signs have emerged to show that the economic recovery in the 17-country eurozone is already losing steam.

Figures released Wednesday from Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, show retail sales across the region fell a monthly 0.2 percent in October. That follows a 0.6 percent decline in September and confounds expectations in the markets for a modest increase.

Meanwhile, financial information company Markit confirmed its purchasing managers' index — a gauge of business activity — fell in November. Though the index was revised up from the initial estimate of 51.5 to 51.7, it was down on October's 51.9.

Chris Williamson, Markit's chief economist, says the decline confirms that the recovery "lost some momentum" in November.

For an economy that grew 0.1 percent in the third quarter, that's a worry.