Europe: Stocks open lower

[LONDON] Europe's main stock markets opened lower in thin trading on Monday, getting the week off to a slow start as the markets in London and later on Wall Street were closed for a public holiday.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index eased 0.1 per cent to 12,588.80 points and the Paris CAC 40 shed nearly 0.2 per cent to 5,327.73 compared with the closing level of Friday.

"It will most likely be a slow start to the week with markets closed for Memorial Day in the US and the spring bank holiday in the UK on Monday," said London Capital Group analyst Jasper Lawler.

Prices were flat to softer in Asia, too, with markets in China also closed, and that was "leading to lower than average volumes across the rest of the Asian continent," Mr Lawler said.

AFP