BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks fell sharply on Thursday to extend recent losses as U.S. President Donald Trump's address on the coronavirus failed to quell concerns about the economic impact of the outbreak.
Global travel restrictions also hit investor sentiment. Trump said Wednesday he was sharply restricting travel to the United States from more than two dozen European countries, in a bid to ease the economic cost of a viral pandemic that is roiling global financial markets and disrupting people's daily lives.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to 114 countries, resulting in the deaths of more than 4,500 people worldwide.
The benchmark CAC 40 was down 317 points, or 6.88 percent, at 4,293 after ending 0.6 percent lower on Wednesday.
Banks BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Societe Generale fell 5-6 percent while automaker Renault slumped 6.5 percent and Peugeot lost 8 percent.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX