European Stocks Expected to Start Week in Negative Territory #

European stocks are anticipated to begin the week and the final trading session of September on Monday in negative territory.

The U.K.’s FTSE index is expected to open lower, as are Germany’s DAX, France’s CAC 40, and Italy’s FTSE MIB, according to market data.

This lackluster start for European markets follows the pan-European Stoxx 600 index closing at a fresh record high on Friday. Stocks received a boost from China’s recent announcement of a range of stimulus measures aimed at boosting the economy.

In the Asia-Pacific region, stocks in mainland China spiked over 6% while Japan’s Nikkei 225 tumbled 4.64%, as investors assessed key economic data from the two countries.

China’s official purchasing managers’ index reading for September came in better than expected, but still marked a fifth straight month of contraction for the manufacturing sector.

Separate data from Japan showed industrial production in the country dropped 4.9% year on year in August, exceeding the fall of the previous month.

U.S. stock futures were flat, after major U.S. averages logged their third consecutive week of gains.

In Europe, German inflation and retail sales data are due on Monday, along with the latest Italian inflation rate and final U.K. GDP data.