FTSE falls at 0.2% open

London (AFP) – London shares fell at the start of trading on Wednesday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 index losing 0.20 percent to 6,782.84 points.

Earlier in Tokyo stocks reversed the previous session’s surge, as investors awaited US housing data and minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting.

The Nikkei dropped 0.52 percent, or 76.71 points, to close at 14,766.53.

US stocks closed mostly higher Tuesday as investors weighed mixed company news and an unexpected slump in home builder confidence.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.15 percent to 16,130.40 while the broader SandP 500 index advanced 0.12 percent to 1,840.76. The Nasdaq added 0.68 percent to 4,272.78.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 slipped 0.19 percent to 9,641.45 points while the Paris CAC 40 shed 0.22 percent to 4,321.18 compared with Tuesday’s closing values.