European stocks have retreated

The FTSE index of top European shares was down 0.8%

Heavyweight energy shares surrendered early gains as oil prices fell and the dollar rebounded.

Total was down 0.5% and Repsol was down 1.2%.

Insurers were the biggest losers, with the Dutch ING Group plummeting 17% following its announcement to split the company in two and launch a 7.5 billion euro rights issue.

The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index erased earlier gains, dropping to nearly 0.9 %.

German stocks also declined, erasing an earlier advance, as Commerzbank AG and Deutsche Bank AG retreated. The benchmark DAX Index slid 1.7 percent in Frankfurt.

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tags: European markets, Markets