(MENAFN- AFP) European stock markets slid on Thursday following losses across Asia and on Wall Street caused by a fresh slump in oil prices, analysts said.
After recovering Wednesday as airline and travel stocks rebounded from sharp falls caused by the Brussels attacks, markets headed south once more ahead of the Easter break with miners also taking a hit, on falling metals prices.
Around 1100 GMT, London's benchmark FTSE 100 was down 1.3 percent compared with Wednesday's close.
In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 1.4 percent and the Paris CAC 40 dropped 1.9 percent.
Figures showing that consumer confidence in Germany is beginning to feel the heat from global economic risks and a poorer retail picture in Britain added to the downbeat sentiment, traders said.
In foreign exchange, the euro dropped against the dollar.
"The dollar continues to strengthen and this remains one of the key reasons that commodities are under pressure," said Brenda Kelly, analyst at traders London Capital Group.
In London, the share prices of mining group Anglo American and Rio Tinto were down 6.4 percent and 3.7 percent.
Oil majors fell, with Royal Dutch Shell and BP losing around 1.5 percent in late deals.
"Commodities denominated in the greenback are falling, taking oil and basic resource sectors of the stock market down with them," said CMC Markets analyst Jasper Lawler.
The picture had been the same in Asia after crude prices tumbled on news that US commercial stockpiles surged by 9.36 million barrels last week, more than three times the amount forecast by analysts.
Hints the US could raise interest rates next month drove the dollar higher, piling further pressure on commodities and sending Sydney's resources-rich benchmark stocks index sliding 1.1 percent.
A stronger greenback makes it more expensive for investors using other currencies to buy dollar-priced commodities, and raw materials from iron ore to gold took a hit.
Elsewhere across Asia, Shanghai's main stocks index slumped 1.6 percent, Hong Kong lost 1.3 percent and Tokyo fell 0.6 percent.
Back in Europe, market research company GfK said that optimism among German consumers faded this month.
"It is unlikely that weak demand for German goods in a number of key countries will not have any effect on German economic growth," it added in a statement.
In Britain, fashion retailer Next warned that 2016 was set to be its toughest year since the global financial crisis, sending its share price slumping 11.5 percent nearing midday.
Official data showed that British retail sales fell by a better-than-expected 0.4 percent last month compared to January.
- Key figures at 1100 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 1.3 percent at 6,115.89
Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 1.4 percent at 9,878.91
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.9 percent at 4,342.02
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 1.4 percent at 2,999.42
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.64 percent at 16,892.33 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.63 percent at 2,960.97 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 1.31 percent at 20,345.61 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 17,502.59 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1171 from $1.1183 on Wednesday
Dollar/yen: UP at 112.74 yen from 112.43 yen
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