Staff of Reuters 2 minutes Read (Click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window for a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK, and European financial markets.) Reuters, July 5 – On Monday, European stocks fell below record highs as the global spread of the Delta strain of the coronavirus prompted fears of a slowed economic recovery, though Morrisons rose as a takeover fight for the British retailer heated up. By 0707 GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 was down 0.11 percent, with auto and travel sectors leading the drop. Mining companies were one of the few gainers, rising 1.4 percent in tandem with metals prices. The benchmark STOXX 600 index has struggled to recoup an all-time high set in mid-June, as an increase in virus infections raised the prospect of further travel restrictions and threatened to disrupt the euro zone’s recovery from the pandemic-driven recession. On Monday, all eyes will be on the EU’s economic activity figures for June, which will be released at 0800 GMT. French stocks declined 0.2 percent as Health Minister Olivier Veran warned that the highly transmissible Delta type could lead to a fourth wave of the pandemic in France. Morrisons’ stock soared 11.6 percent after Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm based in the United States, indicated it was considering a bid for the British supermarket chain. Morrisons and another business agreed on a 6.3 billion pound ($8.7 billion) merger on Saturday. With US markets closed for the long Fourth of July weekend, trading volumes are expected to be low. (Bengaluru-based reporter Sagarika Jaisinghani contributed to this report; Shounak Dasgupta edited it.)/n
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