Brussels, June 03 (QNA) - European stock markets opened lower on Wednesday, pressured by renewed tensions in West Asia and rising oil prices, while developments on the ground reduced hopes of reaching a near-term agreement that would ease the crisis.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.1 percent to 624.32 points, while Germany's DAX index declined 0.67 percent.
France's CAC 40 index dropped 0.41 percent, and Italy's FTSE MIB index fell 0.49 percent, while Britain's FTSE 100 index edged up 0.03 percent, benefiting from gains in energy shares as oil prices rose.
Remarks by US President Donald Trump indicating that talks with Iran were continuing limited losses in European markets.
Airline stocks, which are among the sectors most affected by higher energy prices, retreated, with shares of Lufthansa and Air France each falling 1 percent, while automobile stocks led sectoral losses with a decline of 1.2 percent. (QNA)