LONDON: European stock markets sank at the open on Friday, joining a global selloff on fears that this year's expected economic recovery will fuel inflation and spark interest rate hikes.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of major blue-chip companies fell 1.2 percent to 6,570.36 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dropped 1.4 percent to 13,680.37 points and the Paris CAC 40 lost 1.5 percent to 5,697.54.