Europe: Equities open lower after Asia losses

[LONDON] European stocks opened lower Friday, mirroring Asian losses, as investors fretted over jobless claims data and stalled stimulus talks in the United States, fraught China tensions, and surging virus cases.

In initial trade, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of major blue-chip companies lost 1.4 per cent to 6,122.79 points compared with the closing level on Thursday.

In the eurozone, the Paris CAC 40 index shed 1.6 per cent to 4,955.08 points and Frankfurt's DAX 30 dived 1.8 per cent to 12,867.07.

Asian equities also sank Friday, dragged by a worse-than-forecast US jobless claims report that fanned fears about the economic recovery, while the mood was also being darkened by China-US tensions, faltering stimulus talks in Washington and a spike in Covid-19 infections.

The losses come at the end of another tough week for markets, which have shown signs of stuttering after a months-long rally from their March trough, with Washington and Beijing butting heads again, this time over US claims of Chinese espionage.

AFP