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Sept 4 (Reuters) - European stocks opened sharply lower
on Wednesday, as global markets were rattled by concerns of an
imminent slowdown in the United States, while investors eyed
more economic data from the euro zone.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 1% by 0710
GMT, while all other major European markets were also down
around 1%.
The losses tracked an overnight selloff in Wall Street's
main indexes, all of which recorded their biggest daily
percentage declines since early August, with sentiment weakened
by weak manufacturing data.
Semiconductor companies were the top losers in early
trading, with ASML Holdings falling 5.3%, tracking a
rout in Nvidia's stock on Tuesday.
Barratt slid 1.4% after the British housebuilder
said housing demand continues to be sensitive to mortgage
affordability after it posted a 56% slump in its annual profit.
Investors will be hawkeyed on euro zone's HCOB services
Purchasing Managers' Index at 0800 GMT and July producer prices
data at 0900 GMT, for more light on the region's economic health
and the interest rate outlook.
Services PMI from Germany, Spain, Italy and France is also
due later in the day.
(Reporting by Shubham Batra in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H K)