European shares subdued as investors brace for Trump's tariff deadline
The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX), opens new tab was flat at 541.15 points, as of 0835 GMT.
Other major regional indexes were mixed, with Germany's DAX (.GDAXI), opens new tab up 0.4%, while France's CAC 40 (.FCHI), opens new tab, Spain's IBEX (.IBEX), opens new tab, and the UK's FTSE 100 (.FTSE), opens new tab each fell 0.1%.
President Trump said on Sunday, the U.S. is close to finalising several trade agreements in the coming days and will notify other countries of higher tariff rates by July 9. The new rates are set to take effect from August 1.
He also said the U.S. will send letters to 12 countries on Monday, detailing the different tariff levels they will face on goods they export to the U.S.
"Trade deals have taken years to agree...suddenly the U.S. is trying to negotiate so many deals in three months. It will be surprising if they get proper long-lasting deals signed very quickly", said Andrew Lapping, Chief Investment Officer at Ranmore Fund Management.
Meanwhile, Trump threatened an extra 10% tariff on countries aligning themselves with the "anti-American policies" of the BRICS group of developing nations.
He added to the confusion by mentioning that some tariffs could reach up to 70% levels far higher than the 10%-50% range he announced in April.
"Trump is in a teasing mood, hinting that more deals will be inked in the coming days....investors are bracing for another burst of volatility, as another cloud of unpredictability descends.", said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, Hargreaves Lansdown in a note.
Meanwhile, a White House official said on Friday that U.S. trade talks with the European Union were ongoing, and there was optimism that an agreement could be reached in the near future.
European energy (.SXEP), opens new tab stocks fell 1.6%, tracking lower oil prices —meanwhile, insurance (.SXIP), opens new tab stocks were up 0.8%.
Among individual stocks, Shell fell 3% after the energy major trimmed its second-quarter gas, LNG output outlook and guided for weaker trading results in a quarterly update ahead of full results.
Capgemini (CAPP.PA), opens new tab fell 4.1% after the French IT services firm agreed to buy technology outsourcing company WNS (WNS.N), opens new tab for a cash payment of $3.3 billion.
China's finance ministry said on Sunday it would restrict government purchases of medical devices from the EU that exceed 45 million yuan ($6.3 million) in value, in retaliation for Brussels' curbs last month.
Carl Zeiss Meditec (AFXG.DE), opens new tab and Merck Kgaa (MRCG.DE), opens new tab fell 1.7% and 2.1%, respectively, following China's reciprocal curbs on EU medical devices.
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