European markets little changed as the new trading week kicks off

European luxury stocks pulled back Monday as investors assessed the latest hints about stimulus measures out of China.

Shares of Gucci-owner Kering were down 3.6% by 9:35 a.m. London time, while LVMH fell 2.74%, and shares in Burberry and Christian Dior pulled back by around 2%.

Over the weekend, China’s Minister of Finance Lan Fo’an hinted at more debt issuance as the country aims to shore up its economy. He also signaled that more stimulus could be on the way.

Many investors and analysts had been hoping for a new major stimulus package to be unveiled at the briefing, however.

“The stimulus plan has again underwhelmed. There were hopes for a lot more clarity on the extent of the support for consumers in particular,” Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, told CNBC on Monday.

China’s property market crisis has impacted wealth perceptions and resulted in more cautious spending, she explained.

“It means many shoppers have held back from splashing out expensive new handbags or jewelry. Until there is more detail on targeted stimulus measures, gains are likely to be held back.”

— Sophie Kiderlin

Betting companies Entain and Flutter tumbled in Europe on Monday after a media report last week indicated that the U.K. government could increase taxes on online casinos and bookmakers.

The Guardian on Friday reported that some of these taxes could double, and could come as soon as the U.K. budget is announced later this month.

Shares in Entain were last down 14.3%, while European-listed shares in Flutter were last down 7.6%.

— Sophie Kiderlin

European stocks were mixed as markets opened on Monday, with regional markets lacking direction after a choppy week last week.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 was little changed as markets opened, last down 0.02% at 8:15 a.m. London time.

Amid range-bound trade, travel and leisure stocks were the outlier, down 1.7%.

— Sophie Kiderlin

Goldman Sachs has refreshed its lists of top global stock picks for October, adding some and removing others.

The stocks are featured in the investment bank’s “Conviction List – Directors’ Cut,” which it says offers a “curated and active” list of buy-rated stocks.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more on three of the latest additions to the list with more than 20% upside potential, according to Goldman’s analysts.

— Amala Balakrishner

Goldman Sachs raised its 2024 real GDP forecast for China to 4.9% from the previous 4.7%, as it evaluates the “more forceful and coordinated” stimulus policies coming out from the two high-level press conferences last week.

Chinese policymakers have “made a turn on cyclical policy management and increased their focus on the economy,” it said in a research note on Oct. 13.

The company attributed the upward revision to the Ministry of Finance suggesting that 2.3 trillion yuan ($325.48 billion) of local government special bond funds will be used in the fourth quarter; and the National Development and Reform Commission stating it would pre-approve the 200 billion yuan of next year’s projects by end-October.

“We estimate easing measures announced and suggested so far translate into 0.4 pp upside surprise to our previous projection,” Goldman Sachs said, while lifting the country’s 2025 real GDP growth forecast to 4.7% from 4.3%.

However, it noted its structural view on China’s growth has not changed with persisting growth challenges, including deteriorating demographics, a multi-year debt deleveraging trend and global supply chain risks.

— Anniek Bao

Chinese markets are back in the spotlight after a rough start to the week.

China’s blue-chip CSI 300 index skyrocketed over 10% when it opened Tuesday amid expectations of further measures to boost the economy after the seven-day Golden Week break. The rally cooled off, however, after China’s National Development and Reform Commission held off on announcing any new major stimulus plans, underwhelming investors.

As investors consider whether — and how — to invest in China, two experts share their views on the market and stocks they like right now.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Amala Balakrishner

European markets are expected to open in mixed territory Monday.

The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 12 points lower at 8,240, Germany’s DAX down 7 points at 19,351, France’s CAC down 12 points at 7,568 and Italy’s FTSE MIB up 6 points at 34,144, according to data from IG.

There are no major earnings or data releases Monday.

— Holly Ellyatt