European Stocks Extend Losses At Open

Europe's main stock markets fell at the start of trading Monday, extending pre-weekend losses, with major takeover activity within the oil sector failing to lift sentiment

LONDON, , (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2017 ) - Europe's main stock markets fell at the start of trading Monday, extending pre-weekend losses, with major takeover activity within the oil sector failing to lift sentiment.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 0.2 percent to 7,306.69 points compared with the close on Friday. In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dropped 0.5 percent to 12,105.72 points and the Paris CAC 40 lost 0.5 percent to 5,091.31.

European markets opened shortly after French oil giant Total said it would buy Maersk Oil, a unit of the Danish shipping giant A.

P. Moller-Maersk, for $7.45 billion (6.35 billion Euros). Traders reacted also to news that Tokyo's benchmark stock index fell to the lowest level in almost four months, hit by lingering concerns about US President Donald Trump's stalled economic agenda.

Such worries had hit global stocks on Friday, with valuations pressured further by the terror attacks in Barcelona as investors sought haven investments such as the Yen and gold.