European stock prices are lower in midday trading Tuesday.

London's Financial Times index is down one and one-quarter percent lower. The CAC-40 in Paris is down nearly two percent, and trading on the DAX index in Frankfurt is down over one-half of one percent.

In New York, the S&P futures contract is down four points, indicating a lower opening.

Tokyo's Nikkei index index lost just over one and one-half percent to finish at 8,742.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index plunged nearly four and one-quarter percent to finish the day's trading at 18,076.

Gold is trading at $1,659.00 an ounce.

The dollar is mixed in trading against other major currencies.