Europe: Stock markets drop at open

[LONDON] Europe's main stock markets slid at the open Friday following losses in Asia and on Wall Street as the US economy grew much slower than expected in the first quarter.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.8 per cent to 6,269.31 points compared with Thursday's closing level.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index lost 0.8 per cent to 10,235.47 points and the Paris CAC 40 shed 1.25 per cent to 4,500.43.

The US Commerce Department on Thursday said that the world's number one economy grew 0.5 per cent in January-March, almost half the pace expected, and the worst reading since 2014 as consumer spending sputtered.

AFP