European stock markets were lower in midday trading Monday.

London's Financial Times 100 index was six-tenths of a percent , to 5,681. The CAC-40 in Paris dropped 1.03 percent , to 3,785. And the DAX in Frankfurt was down one percent , at 7,095.

The S&P futures contract was down six points, indicating a lower opening for U.S. markets.

In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index rose a fraction of a percent to close at 9,354.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost four-tenths of a percent to end at 21,600.

Gold was trading at $1,537.75 an ounce.

The U.S. dollar was lower against other major currencies.