BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks were moving lower on Monday as investors booked profits ahead of New Year holidays.
Rising political tensions in North East Asia and air strikes in the Middle East also weighed on markets.
On the trade front, investors are looking for concrete details on the Phase 1 agreement.
In an interview with Chinese state television CGTN on Saturday night, Beijing's ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, said that China will honor its phase-one trade commitments, and suggested that the U.S. live up to theirs on issues such as Taiwan.
The benchmark CAC 40 was down 15 points, or 0.25 percent, at 6,022 after closing up 0.1 percent on Friday.
In stock-specific action, eyewear firm EssilorLuxottica fell over 2 percent. The company said its subsidiary Essilor International recently discovered fraudulent financial activities in one of its plants in Thailand.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX