Investing.com - European stocks opened mostly lower on Monday, as investors began to focus on the European Central Bank’s upcoming policy meeting on Thursday.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.48%, France’s CAC 40 slid 0.37%, while Germany’s DAX 30 dropped 0.57%.
Investors were eyeing the ECB’s next policy meeting after the bank disappointed expectations with a smaller-than-expected stimulus move at its December meeting.
Investors also continued to focus on the oil market, as prices rose above $36 a barrel for the first time since January 6.
Earlier Monday, data showed that German factory orders fell 0.1% in January, compared to expectations for a 0.3% decline. Factory orders silpped 0.2% in December, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 0.7% drop.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) slid 0.17% and 0.56%, while Germany’s Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) declined 0.42%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) lost 0.27% and 0.95% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA (MC:BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC:SAN) dropped 0.83% and 0.70%.
Elsewhere, Electricite de France SA (PA:EDF) plunged 6.04% after Chief Financial Officer Thomas Piquemal quit last week after disagreeing with Chief Executive Officer Jean-Bernard Levy on the timing of a plan to build new nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in the U.K.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 inched up 0.07%, boosted by sharp gains in the mining sector.
Shares in Bhp Billiton (LON:BLT) jumped 1.79% and Glencore (LON:GLEN) rallied 1.82%, while rivals Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) and Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) surged 2.77% and 2.81% respectively.
Meanwhile, financial stocks were mostly lower. Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) slid 0.35% and HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) fell 0.36%, while Barclays (LON:BARC) retreated 0.77%. The Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) overperformed, with shares climbing 0.56%.
Adding to losses, Inmarsat PLC (LON:ISA) plummeted 2.09% after the satellite communications group said that difficult trading in some of its main markets was likely to continue this year.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.06% dip, S&P 500 futures a 0.09% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.20% slip.