Europe: Stock markets steady at open

[LONDON] Europe's main stock markets were steady at the start of trading on Thursday after two days of heavy losses on concerns over slowing global growth.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed 0.2 per cent to 6,125.56 points compared with Wednesday's close.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index rose 0.2 per cent to 9,849.70 points and the Paris CAC 40 dipped 0.1 per cent in value to open at 4,321.36.

A disappointing set of readings and announcements from the world's biggest economies over the past week have cast a pall over stock markets, reversing recent gains that were fuelled by hopes a recovery was taking hold.

Asian stocks mainly fell on Thursday following a negative lead overnight from Wall Street, as markets geared up for key US jobs data due Friday.

AFP