European shares opened slightly lower on Tuesday, after a weak trading session in Asia and relatively thin mid-August trading volumes offset a fairly buoyant set of corporate earnings updates.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was down 0.3 per cent at 0712 GMT, with a dip in oil prices and weak metals prices hitting mining stocks.
“There has been a poor session in Asia and I don’t think investors are getting involved...Basic inertia and low volumes are dragging markets lower,’’ said Michael Hewson, analyst at CMC Markets.
Lindt & Spruengli shares rose 1 per cent after the Swiss chocolate maker reported forecast-beating profits.