European stocks slide after Trump tests positive for Covid-19

Representative Image. Credit: Reuters Photo

European stocks slid on Friday after US President Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19, hitting equity markets globally.

The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 1.0% by 0704 GMT. The German DAX and France's CAC 40 dropped 1.3%, while UK's FTSE 100 declined 1.0%.

Trump said on Friday that he and his wife Melania had tested positive for Covid-19 and were going into quarantine, with just weeks to go before the November 3 presidential election.

Chemical, mining and oil & gas stocks were the biggest decliners in early trading, down between 1.3% and 1.5%.