European stocks fell broadly on Thursday as global equities pulled back after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen hinted that U.S. interest rates might start to rise sooner than expected, Reuters reported. At 1115 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.8 percent at 1,294.24 points. The benchmark index has lost 1.7 percent so far in 2014. Emerging equities were hit even harder by the Fed's announcement. The MSCI emerging market index tumbled 1.5 percent on Thursday, taking it 6.6 percent lower since the start of the year. Around Europe on Thursday, Britain's FTSE 100 index was down 1.1 percent, Germany's DAX index down 1 percent, and France's CAC 40 down 0.9 percent.
