Europe: Stocks ahead at open

[LONDON] Europe's main stock markets climbed in opening trade on Monday, with London's benchmark FTSE 100 index up 0.53 per cent at 7,031.84 points.

Elsewhere, the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.23 per cent to 5,154.91 points and Frankfurt's DAX 30 won 0.41 per cent to 11,688.70 compared with Friday's close.

The region's equities had slumped on Friday as investor worries intensified over Greece.

Asian stocks mostly retreated on Monday after losses on Wall Street on Greek worries, while Shanghai and Hong Kong tumbled as Chinese authorities unveiled restrictions on dealers borrowing cash to trade shares.

The mainland clampdown, announced on Friday, offset news that the Chinese central bank had reduced the amount of cash lenders must keep in reserve, in a bid to boost loan activity.

AFP