BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks held steady on Monday as investors remained hopeful that Britain would be able to avoid a disorderly exit from the European Union despite a cross-party group of politicians voting to postpone the 'meaningful vote' on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's new divorce deal.
The British pound shook off early losses and moved higher after U.K. lawmakers voted to ask for a Brexit-deadline delay over the weekend.
Investors, however, remain hopeful that the deal will eventually pass and a disorderly Brexit will likely be avoided in two weeks.
The benchmark CAC 40 was up 3 points at 5,639 after losing 0.7 percent on Friday.
Elsewhere, Asian markets ended on a mixed note amid hopes for a U.S.-China trade deal after U.S. President Donald Trump said he thought a U.S.-Sino trade deal would be signed by the time the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings take place in Chile on Nov. 16 and 17.
Separately, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said that China would work with the United States to address each other's core concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
U.S. stock futures point to a modestly higher open later in the day as investors await a slew of earnings releases this week for direction.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX