Europe: Stock markets slide at open

[LONDON] Europe's leading stock markets tumbled at the start of trading on Wednesday as oil prices slumped to new 12-year lows and following sharp losses for equities in Asia.

Shortly after the open at around 0815 GMT, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index was down 2.4 percent at 9,428.8 points compared with Tuesday's close.

The Paris CAC 40 index slumped 2.4 per cent to 4,171.1 points and in London the FTSE 100 index lost 2.0 per cent to 5,760.4.

AFP