Europe close: Stocks start week on weak note

(Sharecast News) - European shares were lower on Monday, as traders analysed the potential impact of the attempted assassination of US presidential candidate Donald Trump on markets, along with weak China GDP data. The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was down 1.02% to 518.73 after a strong showing during the previous week, with all major Continental stock indices lower alongside.

Data released overnight by China's National Bureau of Statistics showed that second-quarter growth slowed to 4.7% year-on-year from 5.3% in the first quarter, missing expectations of 5.1% growth.

ING said "weak consumption and property continued to be a drag on growth" and added that more policy support will be needed in order to achieve this year's 5% growth target.

House prices were 4.5% lower than last year in June, worsening from the 3.9% drop in May, registering the 12th consecutive decline and the steepest decrease since June 2015.

Annual retail sales growth slowed to 2.0% from 3.7%, missing the 3.3% estimate, reflecting continued weak domestic demand.

Industrial production growth eased to 5.3% year-on-year from 5.6%, while fixed asset investment growth slipped to 3.9% from 4.0%.

Meanwhile, in the eurozone, industrial production in the eurozone fell for the first time in four months in May, according to data from Eurostat on Monday, though the decline wasn't as bad as economists had feared.

Seasonally adjusted industrial production decreased by 0.6% in May, following a revised estimate showing no change the month before, changed from the initial reading of -0.1%.

This was the first monthly drop in production since January, but not as severe as the 1.0% decline expected.

Spain's jobs minister, Yolanda Díaz, floated the idea of heavier taxes on investment and pension funds, even as she tries to get her proposal for a shortened workweek across the finish line.

The latter have been strongly criticised by businessmen in the country.

In equity news, shares in online grocer and tech company Ocado slumped 10% as broker Bernstein downgraded the stock to 'underperform'.

British luxury group Burberry fell more than 16% after it ousted its CEO, issued a profit warning and scrapped its dividend, while Swatch was also down sharply as the Swiss watchmaker's first half sales and operating profit fell due to weak China demand.

BP was lower after a rating cut to 'equalweight' by Morgan Stanley.