European stock markets were lower in midday trading Friday.

London’s Financial Times 100 index was down 2.43 percent , to 5,262. The CAC-40 in Paris was down seven-tenths of a percent , to 3,296. And the DAX in Frankfurt was down 2.13 percent , at 6,277.

The S&P futures contract was down four points, indicating a lower opening for U.S. markets.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei index dropped 3.72 percent , to close at 9,300.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng plunged 4.29 percent , to end at 20,946.

Gold was trading at $1,666.57 an ounce.

The U.S. dollar rose against other major currencies.