ROME: Europe s main stock markets fell at the start of trading on Thursday as a recent rally came to a halt following losses in Tokyo and on Wall Street.
London s benchmark FTSE 100 index slid 0.85 percent to 6,175.94 points compared with Wednesday s close and awaiting the outcome of the Bank of England s monthly policy meeting.
In the eurozone, Frankfurt s DAX 30 lost 0.85 percent to 10,303.12 points and the CAC 40 in Paris shed 1.05 percent to 4,615.72.
The euro edged up to $1.1209 from $1.1205 late on Wednesday in New York.
“Three decent European sessions this week look set to come to an end… as uncertainty over the next steps for Federal Reserve interest rate policy and another slide in commodity prices serve to keep investors on edge,” said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at trading group CMC Markets UK.
Tokyo shares ended down 2.51 percent Thursday, hit by worries about China and the impact of a possible US rate hike, a day after its biggest one-day jump in seven years.
Following a stream of strong economic indicators, speculation has been rising that the Fed will raise rates after a policy meeting next week.
