LONDON: European stock markets retreated at the start of trading Friday following losses in Asia and overnight on Wall Street, with traders awaiting key US inflation data.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index fell 0.3 percent to 7,301.77 points after official data showed Britain's economy slowing even before the onset of the Omicron variant.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX index shed 0.4 percent to 15,578.29 points and the Paris CAC 40 lost 0.5 percent to 6,975.70.