European Stocks Decline as DAX Drops 4 Percent in 15 Minutes

European stocks declined, snapping three days of gains, as Germany’s DAX Index tumbled 4 percent in 15 minutes amid speculation that regulators planned to impose further restrictions on equity markets.

Five German stocks slid for every one that gained as companies from RWE AG to Allianz SE sank. Royal Ahold NV, the Dutch owner of Stop & Shop grocery stores, paced a retreat in retail shares, slumping more than 6 percent, after reporting an unexpected drop in profit. Credit Agricole SA, France’s second-largest bank by assets, surged 4.8 percent after profit fell less than analysts had estimated.