European shares opened lower on Monday, tracking losses in Asia, as weak Chinese factory surveys fuelled global growth concerns, with Electrolux and Ryanair among the main losers.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was down 0.6 per cent, while the euro zone’s blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 index also fell 0.7 per cent.
Electrolux dropped 5.7 per cent after the US Justice Department rejected the Swedish appliance maker’s offer to settle a fight over whether it would be allowed to buy General Electric’s appliance business.
Irish airline Ryanair Holdings fell 2.7 per cent despite lifting its profit forecast on Monday.
Ryanair said fuller planes would take profits to the upper end of its previously estimated range, although the company also stated that no more cash would be returned to shareholders this year.
French carmaker Renault rose 1.6 per cent. According to data published on Sunday, French car registrations rose 1 per cent in October, with Renault recovering some lost ground while rival PSA Peugeot Citroen saw a fall.