European stock markets open lower as LEG Immobilien falls

March 9 (Reuters) – European shares opened lower on Thursday as German real estate firm LEG Immobilien bottomed in the benchmark STOXX 600 index on the suspension of dividends, while investors also worried about the possibility that interest rates continue to rise for longer.

Shares of LEG Immobilien fell 10.6% in early trading as the company suspended its dividend after reporting its 2022 results.

The STOXX 600 index fell 0.4% and property values ​​1.7%.

European markets fell after closing higher in the previous session, likely supported by comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that the US central bank had not decided on the extent of the rise in prices. rate this month.

But worries lingered after stronger-than-expected US data supported the view that the Fed could keep raising rates.

European miners lost 2% after copper prices fell and the dollar neared three-month highs. (MET/L)

(Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing in Spanish by Benjamín Mejías Valencia)