Investing.com - European stocks extended losses in choppy trade on Tuesday, as investors remained cautious amid ongoing tensions in Crimea and as first-quarter earnings season was set to begin this week.
During European afternoon trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 lost 1.06%, France’s CAC 40 retreated 1.01%, while Germany’s DAX tumbled 1.10%.
Markets were jittery after Reuters reported on Monday that a Russian soldier had shot dead a Ukrainian naval officer in Crimea.
This came after a pro-Russian protest in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, where demonstrators stormed government buildings in several major cities.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as French lenders BNP Paribas (BNPP.PAR) and Societe Generale (SOGN.PAR) slipped 0.10% and 1.27%, although Germany's Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.XETRA) added 0.16%
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (CRDI.MILAN) tumbled 1.08%, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (SAN.MADRID) and BBVA (BBVA.MADRID) declined 0.45% and 0.48%.
On the upside, Nordea Bank (NDA.COP) climbed 0.76% after Chairman Bjoern Wahlroos said it will increase dividends.
Elsewhere, Suedzucker (SZUG.XETRA) dove 15.77% after the largest sugar producer in Europe said it expects a "significant decrease" in profits on weak European sugar markets.
In London, FTSE 100 declined 1.04%, still led by Sports Direct (SPD.LSE), down 6.74%, after sportswear tycoon Mike Ashley sold £200 million worth of the company's shares.
In the financial sector, stocks remained mostly lower. The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.LSE) tumbled 1.12% and Barclays (BARC.LSE) lost 1.25%, while Lloyds Banking (LLOY.LSE) plummeted 1.50%. HSBC Holdings (HSBA.LSE) continued to overperform on the other hand, up 0.42%.
Mining stocks were mostly higher, as shares in Antofagasta (ANTO.LSE) advanced 0.70% and Rio Tinto (RIO.LSE) jumped 0.99%, while Fresnillo (FRES.LSE) surged 1.35%.
Also in the U.K., the Office for National Statistics reported that industrial production increased 0.9% in February and was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. Market expectations had been for a monthly gain of 0.3% and an annual increase of 2.2%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately higher open. The Dow 30 futures pointed to a 0.03% uptick, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.06% gain, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.11% rise.