European stocks mixed, Switzerland in focus

LONDON: European stock markets traded moderately mixed Monday, after solid gains ahead of the weekend despite poorly-received US jobs data.
The Swiss stock market and franc held up after a shock vote in favour of Switzerland restricting immigration with the European Union.
In afternoon deals, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index edged up 0.14 per cent to stand at 6,580.99 points compared with Friday’s closing level.
Frankfurt’s DAX 30 dipped 0.02 per cent to 9,300.52 points and the CAC 40 in Paris won 0.37 per cent to 4,243.96.
Meanmwhile: US stocks also opened mixed Monday after scoring their strongest week of the year, with investors keenly awaiting the new Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen’s first testimony to Congress.
Five minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.13 per cent at 15,773.60.
In foreign exchange trading on Monday, the European single currency edged up to $1.3638 from $1.3637 late in New York Friday.
The Swiss franc, which Switzerland’s central bank held down at the height of the eurozone debt crisis, firmed slightly to 1.2236 to the euro from 1.2239 on Friday.
The price of gold jumped to $1,273.50 an ounce from $1,256.25 an ounce Thursday.