FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - European stock markets have opened Thursday's session on weak tone, with sentiment weighed by yet another downgrade of Greece's debt ratings and increasing signs of a slowdown of the global economic recovery. In currency markets Euro and Pound are bouncing up from lows.

Eurostoxx 50 Index drops 1.0%, while the German DAX Index sheds 1.1% and the French CAC Index trading 1.35% below the opening level. In the UK, the FTSE dips 0.9% in the first two hours of trading.

European investors remain concerned about Greece's fiscal situation, especially after Moody's downgraded the country's soereign debt ratings by three notches, which has increased the risk of default for the country amid talks between the BCE, the EU and the IMF to agree a second debt package for the Mediterranean country.

Furthermore, weaker than expected data in the US, where ADP advanced a disappointing increase on private sector payrolls, has added concerns of a considerable slowdown on US economic recovery, triggering risk aversion on equity markets ahead of key Non-Farm payrolls report tomorrow.

Euro and Pound pick up


EUR/USD retreat from 1.4460 high yesterday bottomed at 1.4305, and the pair has regained lost ground, returning to levels above 1.4400 and hitting session high at 1.4415.

GBP/USD retreat from Tuesday's high at 1.6550 extended on early European session to 1.6305 low, where and the pair found buyers to bounce up, and extend to 1.6375 high after better than expected construction activity data.

USD/JPY recovery attempt from yesterday's low at 80.65 was rejected at 81.30 on early Asian session, and the pair pulled back to consolidate around 81.00 over the European session.