Investing.com - European markets were little changed on Monday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of fresh earnings reports due throughout the session.
The EURO STOXX 50 inched 0.01% lower, France’s CAC 40 dipped 0.01%, while Germany’s DAX 30 eased up 0.08% by 03:40 a.m. ET (07:40 GMT).
European markets benefited from the euro's mild retreat on Monday morning, as the U.S. dollar slightly recovered from its recent plunge to three-year lows.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) gained 0.32% and 0.61%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) rose 0.29% and 0.28%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) climbed 0.56% and 0.49%, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) added 0.20% and 0.08% respectively.
However, Spain's Bankia SA (MC:BKIA) underperformed by tumbling 2.87% after the lender reported a €235 million fourth-quarter loss, weighed by restructuring costs from the integration of smaller bank BMN.
Volkswagen (DE:VOWG_p) shares rallied 1.80% after the German carmaker apologized over the weekend for a test that exposed monkeys to engine fumes to study effects of the exhaust.
The comments came after the New York Times reported about a 2014 trial in a U.S. laboratory in which 10 monkeys inhaled diesel emissions from a Volkswagen Beetle.
In London, the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 inched up 0.07%, helped by sharp gains in the mining sector.
Shares in Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) jumped 1.43% and Anglo American (LON:AAL) rallied 1.57%, while Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) and Glencore (LON:GLEN) surged 1.55% and 1.77% respectively.
Meanwhile, financial stocks were steady to lower, as HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) dipped 0.01% and the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) eased 0.03%, while Barclays (LON:BARC) fell 0.21%. Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) overperformed by gaining 0.38%.
Provident Financial (LON:PFG) was one of the worst performers on the index, with shares down 3.36% following reports four former executives raised employment tribunal claims against the group for unfair dismissals.
Diageo (LON:DGE) was also on the downside, with shares sliding 1.11% after the Wall Street Journal reported last week that secret information leaked from the drinks giant detailed plans to introduce alternative whisky products while overturning strict regulations about what constitutes "Scotch whisky."
The company controls 40% of global Scotch whisky production.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.05% dip, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.20% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.25% decline.