European stock markets claw higher at open

Europe's stock markets rose at the start of trade on Monday, but sentiment was jarred after the Group of Seven meeting ended with deep divisions between Washington and its allies.

Investors were also on tenterhooks before US President Donald Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and ahead of this week's European Central Bank and Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.

In initial trade, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of major blue-chip companies was 0.3% ahead at 7 706.08 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 added 0.4% at 12 816.32 points and the Paris CAC 40 gained 0.2% to 5 459.81, compared with the closing levels on Friday.