European stocks open lower at the start of the new week on a light data day and could not follow the bullish momentum in the U.S. on Friday and in Asia on Monday. Stocks are under pressure after weaker-than-expected Chinese data, fuelling concerns over the economic outlook of the world's second largest economy. This week all eyes are on the upcoming ECB's monetary policy meetings scheduled for Wednesday.

The commodity heavy FTSE 100 index is currently trading -0,33% quoted at 7,066.64 points. Germany's DAX 30 is trading at 12,341.07 points -0.27%. France's CAC 40 is currently trading at 5,224.95 points, -0.30%.