Investing.com - European stocks were mixed on Monday, as markets re-opened after a holiday-shortened week amid growing concerns over possible political instability in Greece.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light this week ahead of the New Year's holiday.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.41%, France’s CAC 40 inched 0.02% higher, while Germany’s DAX 30 retreated 0.53%.
Markets were jittery as Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was set to make a third and final attempt on Monday to get his candidate for president confirmed and avoid an early parliamentary election.
The prime minister received the backing of 168 lawmakers in the second vote on December 23, eight more than in the first presidential ballot on December 17.
After losing the first round, Samaras had asked lawmakers not to disrupt negotiations with creditors and offered to hold a parliamentary election at the end of next year.
Financial stocks were steady to lower, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PARIS:SOGN) inched up 0.06% and 0.01%, while Germany's Commerzbank (XETRA:CBKG) dipped 0.05% and Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBKGn) slid 0.36%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit tumbled 1.12% and 1.23% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA and Banco Santander fell 0.17% and 0.10%.
Elsewhere, Novo Nordisk (COP:NOVOb) rallied 3.11% after the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. approved its Saxenda weight-loss.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 edged up 0.22%, boosted by gains in mining stocks.
Shares in Rio Tinto jumped 1.71% and Randgold Resources advanced 2.06%, while rivals Fresnillo (LONDON:FRES) and Bhp Billiton surged 2.26% and 2.34% respectively.
Financial stocks were also broadly higher, as the Royal Bank of Scotland (LONDON:RBS) added 0.18% and Barclays rose 0.38%, while HSBC Holdings (LONDON:HSBA) climbed 0.68%. Lloyds Banking (LONDON:LLOY) underperformed on the other hand, with shares slipping 0.17%.
Meanwhile, Burberry Group (LONDON:BRBY) shares tumbled 1.09% as the luxury retailer earned an average rating of "hold" from the 18 ratings firms that are currently covering the company.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.02% dip, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.02% uptick, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.13% gain.