European stock markets dropped at the open on Thursday following losses in Asia and on Wall Street, as the strong start to 2023 gives way to profit taking.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.4 percent to 7,800.17 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX index shed 0.5 percent to 15,112.25 points and the Paris CAC 40 retreated 0.5 percent to 7,048.56.