European stock markets steadier after slide

European stock markets were steadier on Tuesday after opening the week with heavy losses, while the share price of mining giant Glencore enjoyed a modest recovery. Volkswagen was flat after the previous day's tumble but Wolseley, the British supplier of plumbing and heating products, plunged in the wake of a poorly-received annual earnings update. Approaching midday in London, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was showing a loss of 0.48 percent at 5,930.40 points.