European Stocks Close Broadly Lower As Investors Eye Key U.S. Economic Data

European stocks closed broadly lower on Monday with investors choosing to wait for some crucial data, including U.S. Consumer and producer prices reports, and largely refraining from making significant moves.

After February U.S. payroll figures exceeded expectations, investors now look ahead to the release of key U.S. consumer price inflation and producer price data this week for further direction.

The pan European Stoxx 600 ended down 0.36%. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 drifted down 0.4% and 0.1%, respectively, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.12%. Switzerland’s SMI gained 0.33%.

Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Turkiye closed weak.

Belgium, Poland, Russia and Spain ended higher, while Portugal closed flat.

In the UK market, St. James’s Place ended down 3.6%. Airtel Africa, Centrica, Convatec Group, Experian, JD Sports Fashion, Weir Group, Aviva, Rio Tinto, Halma, Legal & General Group, Vodafone Group and RS Group lost 1 to 2%.

Admiral Group climbed nearly 5%. Antofagasta, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca gained 2.5 to 3.1%.

ImperialBrands gained more than 2.5% after announcing a £1.1 billion share repurchase program.

Ocado Group, RightMove, Whitbread, Marks & Spencer, Persimmon, Prudential, Smith & Nephew, Lloyds Banking Group and British American Tobacco ended higher by 1 to 2%.

In the German market, Continental ended down 4.6%. Brenntag, Zalando, SAP, Covestro, Infineon, Sartorius, RWE, Porsche, HeidelbergCement, MTU Aero Engines, Symrise and Fresenius lost 1 to 2.8%.

Vonovia climbed more than 2%. Deutsche Bank, Bayer, Henkel, Qiagen, Beiersdorf, Puma and Volkswagen gained 0.5 to 2%.

In Paris, WorldLine shares dropped more than 4%. Teleperformance ended down nearly 4%, while Alstom, Publicis Groupe, Schneider Electric, Thales and Capgemini ended lower by 1 to 3%.

Eurofins Scientific, Unibail Rodamco, Sanofi, Credit Agricole, Stellantis, Bouygues and BNP Paribas gained 0.5 to 1.5%.