Stock markets were up on Monday on anticipation this week of inflation data from the United States, from which investors hope to draw a hint on a possible extension of the strong monetary tightening led by the American central bank (Fed).

European stock markets opened slightly higher: Paris took 0.57%, London 0.14%, Frankfurt 0.64% and Milan 0.75% around 7:40 GMT.

In Asia, Tokyo gained 0.26% and Shanghai took 0.31% in the latest exchanges while Hong Kong lost 0.77%, concerned by the news of a confinement on the island of Hainan, in the South of China.

Friday, the New York Stock Exchange had ended divided, after the strong and surprising figures of the American employment. The indices had initially reacted negatively to the news, which could be a harbinger of future increases in the Fed’s key rates.

Craig Erlam, analyst at Oanda observes a “relatively slow start to the markets this week as investors continue to digest the US employment figures”.