European stocks drop at open; London down 0.70pc

LONDON: European stock markets slid at the start of trading on Wednesday following losses in Asia, as investors awaited key talks on Greece's debt woes and minutes from the US Fed's last rate meeting.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 0.70 percent to 5,816.50 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 fell 0.58 percent to 7,048.30 points and in Paris the CAC 40 dropped 0.84 percent to 3,484.65.