Investing.com - European stocks opened higher on Monday, boosted by recent comments by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi in favor of additional stimulus measures.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 gained 0.89%, France’s CAC 40 advanced 0.74%, while Germany’s DAX 30 jumped 0.99%.
European equities strengthened after ECB President Mario Draghi said Friday the central bank would step up stimulus measures if necessary to bring inflation back to target.
The remarks came one day after the latest easing measures announced by the ECB fell short of market expectations.
The ECB cut the deposit rate to -0.3% and extended the duration of its bond-buying program, disappointing expectations for a more significant move.
Financial stocks were mixed, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) climbed 0.40% and 0.80%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) lost 0.40% and 1.23%.
Among peripheral lenders, Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) rallied 1.01% and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) tumbled 1.54% in Italy, while Spanish banks BBVA (MC:BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC:SAN) rose 0.23% and 0.28% respectively.
Elsewhere, Electrolux , AB ser. A (ST:ELUXa) saw shares dive 8.70% after saying its deal to buy General Electric (N:GE)'s appliance business had fallen through when GE terminated the $3.3 billion agreement.
In London, FTSE 100 gained 0.51%, boosted by Rolls-Royce (L:RR) Holding amid news the luxury carmaker is offering its EJ200 engine to power the first Turkish-made fighter jet.
Financial stocks added to gains, as the Royal Bank of Scotland (L:RBS) and HSBC Holdings (L:HSBA) rose 0.30% and 0.31% respectively, while Barclays (L:BARC) and Lloyds Banking (L:LLOY) both climbed 0.62%.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were mixed on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Rio Tinto (L:RIO) added 0.31% and Glencore (L:GLEN) rallied 1.33%, while Randgold Resources (L:RRS) declined 0.40% and Bhp Billiton (L:BLT) tumbled 1.05%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.09% loss, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.08% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.10% slip.