European stocks slide at open after S&P warns on eurozone

LONDON: Europe's main stock markets fell at the open on Tuesday as a Standard & Poor's warning of a possible downgrade for the eurozone offset news that France and Germany had outlined a plan to save the euro.

London's FTSE 100 index dropped 0.72 percent at 5,528.11 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 1.4 percent to 6,106.09 points and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.95 percent to stand at 3,172.93.

Standard & Poor's had warned on Monday that it could downgrade the ratings of most of the eurozone -- including Germany and France -- if the region's debt crisis was not resolved.