By Danilo Masoni
MILAN (Reuters) - European shares dipped in choppy trade on Monday as a poor update from Reckitt Benckiser (L:RB) hit consumer staples, outweighing gains among financials and strength in steel makers after the U.S. outlined proposals for hefty import curbs.
Shares in Tenaris (MI:TENR), Outokumpu (HE:OUT1V) and Arcelor Mittal (AS:MT) - which have facilities in the United States - were the biggest gainers in Europe, up between 1.7 and 3.1 percent.
Their gains and strength in financial stocks helped STOXX 600 (STOXX) post small gains at the open but the pan-European benchmark index was later dragged lower by a fall in consumer staple stocks. The index was down 0.1 percent by 0930 GMT.
Monday's slight decline took place after the STOXX posted a 3.3 percent gain last week when strength of corporate updates and a return of inflows into equity funds helped global equities rebound from a turbulent start of the month.
The index needs to rise another six percent to climb back to the 2-1/2 year peak hit at the end of January.
Reckitt Benckiser (L:RB) missed profit expectations and its profit margins declined, hurt by a tougher pricing environment in developed markets and increased commodity costs. It said these issues would continue in the near term. [nL8N1Q910Z]
Reckitt Benckiser (L:RB), the maker of Durex condoms, Lysol disinfectant and Mucinex cold medicine, fell 5.4 percent. Shares in Unilever (L:ULVR), Diageo (L:DGE), Nestle (S:NESN) and Danone (PA:DANO) also declined.
Analyst at Investec affirmed their sell rating on Reckitt following the update, saying operating margin missed expectations and sales growth fell a little short of the more optimistic hopes given the strong flu performance from peers.
The U.S. Commerce Department has recommended that President Donald Trump impose steep curbs on steel and aluminum imports from China and other countries ranging from global and country-specific tariffs to broad import quotas. [nL2N1Q60V8]
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) analysts said the European Commission could respond with measures to limit steel imports to the European Union, and that ArcelorMittal and SSAB (ST:SSABa) would benefit the most from rising U.S. spreads. SSAB rose 2.5 percent.
Banks (SX7P) were among the leading gainers, up 0.4 percent. The sector was supported by a 1.6 percent gain in shares of Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) after analysts at BofA Merrill Lynch upgraded the German lender to neutral on optimism over investment banking trading revenues. [nL8N1Q911U]
German industrial giant Siemens (DE:SIEGn) rose one percent after announcing plans to list its healthcare division in the first half of the year.
Mercedes maker Daimler (DE:DAIGn) was a weak spot, down 1.7 percent, after reports said U.S. investigators probing Daimler had found that its cars were equipped with software which may have help them to pass diesel emissions tests. [nL8N1Q8080]