European shares mixed on caution ahead of US tariff deadline
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was flat at 541.08 points, as of 0709 GMT.
Other major regional indexes were mixed, with Germany's DAX up 0.4 per cent, France's CAC 40 down 0.1 per cent, Spain's IBEX edging 0.1 per cent higher, and the UK's FTSE 100 slipping 0.2 per cent.
The US is close to finalising several trade agreements in the coming days and will notify other countries of higher tariff rates by July 9, Trump said on Sunday. The new rates are set to take effect from August 1.
Trump also threatened an extra 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning themselves with the "anti-American policies" of the BRICS group of developing nations.
Both the tariff levels and effective dates have become moving targets as Trump, on Friday, added to the confusion by mentioning that some tariffs could reach up to 70 per cent, levels far higher than the 10 per cent-50 per cent range he announced in April.
A White House official said on Friday that US trade talks with the European Union were continuing and there was optimism an agreement could be reached in short order.
European energy stocks fell 1.3 per cent, tracking oil prices. Banks were up 0.6 per cent.
Capgemini fell 2.8 per cent after the French IT services firm agreed to buy technology outsourcing company WNS for a cash payment of $3.3 billion.
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New Straits Times
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The Sun
20 minutes ago
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