Europe's main stock markets slid at the start of trading on Tuesday after Tokyo share prices slumped and ahead of official data expected to confirm the end of Britain's longest recession on record. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.62 percent to 5,227.60 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 0.66 percent to 5,593.94 points and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.60 percent in value to reach 3,759.22. 