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Oct 3 (Reuters) - European shares opened lower on Thursday,
a day after logging their worst day since last December as the
U.S. was given the go ahead to slap tariffs on European goods,
but markets were spared from sharper losses after the list was
reduced.
The United States said it would slap 10% tariffs on
European-made Airbus AIR.PA planes and 25% duties on French
wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the
continent as punishment for illegal EU aircraft subsidies.
However, shares of Airbus jumped 3.5% recovering from a 2%
fall on Wednesday, as the new U.S. list spared some Airbus
parts.
The euro zone blue-chip index .STOXX50E gained 0.3%,
finding support from luxury products makers, which were also
spared of tariffs from Washington's original list.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX dipped 0.04%.
Investors are expecting surveys on the services sector for
Europe and the U.S. later in the day.
The Frankfurt Stock Exchange will remain shut on Thursday
for the Day of German Unity public holiday.