European stock markets fall at the open

ARIS: European stock markets opened lower on Wednesday ahead of a US Federal Reserve decision on interest rates.

London’s FTSE 100 fell almost 0.1 percent to 7,732.56 even as official data showed UK inflation slowed to 3.4 percent in February, its lowest level since September 2021.

The Paris CAC 40 shed 0.6 percent to 8,148.44 points while the Frankfurt DAX was flat at 17,979.94.

The Fed could provide additional clues later Wednesday about how much it will cut interest rates this year, but it is almost certain to leave its key lending rate unchanged for the time being as it battles inflation.