The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) deepened losses by the close to fall 2.3% to its lowest level since late March, while the EURO STOXX 50 index (.STOXX50E) plunged 2.9%.
Germany's two-year bond yield , which is highly sensitive to interest-rate expectations, rose its highest since autumn 2008, also pressuring equities.
Technology stocks (.SX8P) fell 3.0%, while the real estate sector (.SX86P), which are often treated as bond proxies, tumbled 4.2%.
German industrial orders rose significantly more than expected in May, due to large scale orders of ships, spacecraft and military vehicles.
Embracer (EMBRACb.ST), the top loser on the STOXX 600, fell 13.8% after the gaming group raised 2 billion crowns ($182 million) in a share issue directed to institutional investors.
Persons:
Chris Beauchamp, Janet Yellen's, Matteo Allievi, Shubham Batra, Shreyashi Sanyal, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Varun, David Evans
Organizations:
CAC, U.S, Technology, Treasury, Thomson
Locations:
U.S . Federal, U.S, China, British, Gdansk, Bengaluru