PARIS: European stock markets have fallen at the open as traders reacted to sliding oil prices, China’s economic problems, the outlook for US interest rates and Greek action over its bailout.
London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.55 per cent to 6,368.40 points compared with Wednesday’s close.
Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 0.83 per cent to 10,593.28 points and the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.34 per cent to open at 4,867.45.
“With Greece receiving the first €26 billion slice of its €86 billion bailout this morning, just in time to pay the ECB, there should be a sense of euphoria on the markets,” said Connor Campbell, analyst at Spreadex trading group, of a 3.4 billion euros ($A5.14 billion) loan payment made Athens to the European Central Bank on Thursday.
“Instead continued concerns over China have sent the European indices to seven month lows.”
