Stocks slip, eurozone still needs monetary stimulus

Markets were quiet on Monday with the US, UK and China markets closed.

Both the STOXX Europe 600 and the Nikkei 225 saw small losses.

Italy's FTSE MIB though plunged 2.0 percent after weekend reports that an election could take place as early as September.

European markets are likely to continue to be supported by European Central Bank monetary policy though.

Speaking at the European Parliament on Monday, ECB President Mario Draghi said the eurozone economy still needs a “fairly substantial amount” of monetary stimulus from the ECB to help boost inflation in a sustainable way.