LONDON: Europe's main stock markets retreated further at the open Wednesday as virus worries offset economic recovery hopes.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.7 percent to 7,097.63 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index shed 1.0 percent to 15,678.54 points and the Paris CAC 40 lost 0.9 percent to 6,665.32.