Markets are governed by concern after a brutal US tech stocks selloff the previous day and a leading coronavirus vaccine candidate faced delay.
As UK steps up no-deal Brexit preparations sterling falls sharply against the U.S. dollar and the euro on concerns over the divorce deal.
Patchy economic recovery makes investors still wary as they await developments from central banks and the mood across markets remains tentative.
Investors will be watching for the US payroll data later in the day to confirm whether the U.S. economy is indeed in trouble.
The euro slipped as the eurozone recovery from its deepest economic downturn stuck in a rut brewing uncertainty over the remainder of the year.