Europe Stocks Open Lower, Led By ING, BG Group

European stock markets opened lower on Wednesday as investors consolidated recent gains, and after Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services downgraded its outlook on Greece to negative from stable. The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 0.2% to 268.21, with shares of ING Groep NV down 1.6% after the bank reported a profit fall. Drug and energy companies were among the biggest declining sectors.

The FTSE 100 index fell 0.5% to 5,811.64, led by a 1% fall for BG Group PLC . The French CAC 40 index fell 0.2% to 3,446.18, while the German DAX 30 index slipped 0.3% to 6,947.82.

Marketwatch