Investing.com - European stocks were mixed on Monday, as trading volumes were expected to remain thin ahead of the New Year holiday.
Global financial markets closed early on Thursday, Christmas Eve, and remained shut for Christmas Day on Friday.
Heading into the final week of the year, trading volumes are expected to remain light as many traders already closed books due to the holiday period, reducing liquidity in the market and increasing volatility.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.28%, France’s CAC 40 declined 0.46%, while Germany’s DAX 30 dipped 0.01%.
Financial stocks were mostly higher, as French lender Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) rose 0.35%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) gained 0.41% and 0.83%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) added 0.10% and 0.14% respectively, while Spanish bank BBVA (MC:BBVA) edged up 0.21%.
Elsewhere, Air France slid 0.29% following a warning on Saturday that a new strike could be held from January 10 to January 13 if the company’s management did not end a disciplinary procedure regarding two pilots involved in violent protests that took place in October.
In London, FTSE 100 rose 0.22%.
Mining stocks were broadly lower on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Bhp Billiton (L:BLT) fell 0.21% and Rio Tinto (L:RIO) dropped 0.40%, while Glencore (L:GLEN) declined 0.74%.
Meanwhile, financial stocks were mixed. HSBC Holdings (L:HSBA) inched up 0.07% and the Royal Bank of Scotland (L:RBS) added 0.16%, while Lloyds Banking (L:LLOY) and Barclays (L:BARC) slipped 0.20% and 0.22% respectively.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.21% fall, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.21% loss, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.13% slip.