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European stock markets were lower at the open as investors looked for direction after several sessions without major index moves.

London's FTSE 100 was down 36.08 points, or 0.46 percent, at 7,876.16.

In Frankfurt, the DAX lost 38.54 points, or 0.24 percent, to 15,825.41.

The Paris CAC 40 fell 54.92 points, or 0.73 percent, to 7,518.94.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.5 percent in early trade.

Shares of companies in the mining sector and banks fell by about 2 percent

, BTA reported.

The Tokyo stock market falls under the pressure of fears of an impending recession, Wall Street closed in the red

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