European stock markets were flat in midday trading Monday.

London's Financial Times 100 index was up five-tenths of a percent , to 5,724. The CAC-40 in Paris gained a tenth of a percent , to 3,789. And the DAX in Frankfurt inched up a tenth of a percent , at 7,130.

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

In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index dropped one percent to close at 9,578.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell six-tenths of a percent to end at 22,042.

Gold was trading at $1,502.63 an ounce.

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