European stocks slide at open, before rate decisions

European stock markets slid at the start of trading Thursday, with investors awaiting interest-rate decisions from the Bank of England and the central banks of Norway and Switzerland.

All three were expected to hike their interest rates once more in an attempt to bring down stubbornly-high inflation.

At the open, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.0 percent to 7,487.55 points, while the pound eased against the dollar and euro.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX index dropped 1.0 percent to 15,866.43 points and the Paris CAC 40 retreated 1.0 percent to 7,188.78.