European stocks slip at open
Market watch top headlines
Australian reports
- Aust markets: Aust stocks close lower
- Aust dollar report: $A finishes the day higher
- Aust credit close: Aust bonds weaker
World reports
- World commodities: Commodities markets summary
- World markets: International markets roundup
LONDON, Dec 10 AFP
December 10 2012, 7:57PM
Europe's main stock markets have fallen at the start of trading, with Milan's FTSE Mib index slumping 2.31 per cent to 15,336 points after Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti announced his intention to resign.
Elsewhere, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index on Monday retreated 0.16 per cent to 5,905.00 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index dropped 0.44 per cent to 7,484.95 points and in Paris the CAC 40 slid 0.46 per cent to 3,586.99.
In a dramatic weekend of tense political drama, Monti announced his resignation and Silvio Berlusconi launched a comeback bid.
The developments have put the Monti government's reform agenda on hold and brought forward the election, with a vote now expected as early as February - well before the government's mandate runs out at the end of April.
In earlier deals, Asian equities mostly rose on Monday as dealers cheered an improvement in the US unemployment rate and another batch of manufacturing figures indicating China's economy is emerging from a slumber.
