European Stocks Drop From Six-Year High

European stock markets fell from a six-year closing high on Tuesday, with mining firms sliding as metals prices weakened and Vivendi SA dropping after an earnings report.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index lost 0.3% to 337.21, after closing at the highest level since January 2008 on Monday. Miner Rio Tinto PLC gave up 2.9%, BHP Billiton PLC fell 1.8% and Glencore Xstrata PLC erased 1.8%. French telecom firm Vivendi SA declined 2% after saying sales continued to suffer at its phone business SFR last year. Among country-specific indexes, the U.K.’s FTSE 100 index dropped 0.5% to 6,830.17 after closing at the highest level since 1999 on Monday.

France’s CAC 40 index eased 0.5% to 4,398.32 and Germany’s DAX 30 index lost 0.4% to 9,673.09.

Source : Market watch