BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks fell on Monday as weak data from China and Germany prompted traders to book some profits after strong gains last week of hopes of a quick economic recovery.
Data released by the General Administration of Customs over the weekend showed that Chinese exports decreased 3.3 percent on a yearly basis in May, while imports logged a sharp contraction of 16.7 percent.
China's exports are set to remain weak in the months ahead largely due to the sharp decline in export-order driven imports, Iris Pang, an ING economist, said.
Elsewhere, German industrial production declined at the fastest rate since the series began in 1991, data from Destatis showed.
Industrial output decreased 25.3 percent year-on-year in April, following an 11.3 percent fall in the previous month. This was the biggest fall on record.
Month-on-month, industrial production plunged 17.9 percent versus a revised 8.9 percent drop in March. Economists had forecast a monthly fall of 16 percent.
The benchmark CAC 40 dropped 15 points, or 0.28 percent, to 5,184 after climbing 3.7 percent on Friday.
Capgemini shed 0.8 percent. The company has entered into a global strategic alliance with BlackLine, Inc.
Oil major Total SA climbed 1.2 percent as oil prices rose after major producers agreed to extend a deal on record output cuts.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX