Europe: Stock markets drop at open

[LONDON] European stock markets dropped at the open on Tuesday, the final trading session of a year that has seen large gains for indices.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 0.3 per cent to 7,563.62 points, compared with the close on Monday.

In the eurozone, the Paris CAC 40 index lost 0.2 per cent to 5,970.37 points.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 ended its year on Monday, reporting an annual gain of 25.5 per cent following a plunge of 18 per cent in 2018.

Global stock markets have been boosted this year from record highs on Wall Street helped by receding risks of recession and easing China-US trade tensions.

AFP