European Stocks Close Mixed After Cautious Session

(RTTNews) - European stocks turned in a mixed performance on Monday with investors awaiting more economic data, including U.S. personal income and spending report, for directional clues. Also, with investors appeared a bit reluctant to go on any big buying ahead of a long weekend.

The cautious mood was also due to an escalation in the trade war between the U.S. and China, and Federal Reserve Atlanta head Bostic trimming his FOMC forecast to just one rate cut this year.

The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.04%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended 0.17% down, Germany's DAX gained 0.3%, and France;s CAC 40 ended flat, while Switzerland's SMI settled lower by 0.27%.

Among other markets in Europe, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Russia ended higher.

Greece, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Turkiye closed weak, while Austria, Netherlands and Spain ended flat.

In the UK market, Kingfisher, St. James's Place, B&M European Value Retail, ICP, Airtel Africa, BP, Burberry Group and 3i gained 1 to 3%.

Spirax-Sarco Engineering ended lower by about 4.4%. RightMove ended nearly 4% down. Ocado Group, Croda International, Auto Trader Group, Reckitt Benckiser, Persimmon, Smith & Nephew, Antofagasta, Rentokil Initial, Diploma, Howden Joinery, Easyjet and Smiths lost 1 to 3%.

In the German market, Henkel and Puma both gained more than 2%. Zalando, Adidas, Symrise, BMW, Allianz, HeidelbergCement, MTU Aero Engines, Fresenius Medical Care, Volkswagen and BASF advanced 1 to 2%.

Sartorius ended down by about 2.5%. Porsche, Qiagen, Infineon, Brenntag and Fresenius closed lower by 1 to 1.7%.

In the French market, WorldLine, Thales, TotalEnergies and Sanofi gained 1 to 3.5%. Essilor, L'Oreal, Stellantis and ArcelorMittal posted moderate gains.

Kering, Societe Generale, Legrand, Schneider Electric, Dassault Systemes and Pernod Ricard ended lower by 1 to 2%.

Shares of Swedish real estate group SBB soared 11% after an announcement that it would buy back debt at a 60 percent discount to the original value.

In economic news, UK retailers expect sales to fall again in April after rising moderately in March, survey results from the Confederation of British Industry showed.

A net 2% of retailers said their sales volume increased in March, which was the first rise after 10 consecutive months of decline, the Distributive Trades Survey data revealed.

However, retailers said sales will fall again next month, with the net balance falling to -25%.