12:08 PM EDT, 07/01/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European stock markets opened the week higher in Monday trading as the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.31%, the Swiss Market Index gained 0.47%, France's CAC climbed 1.09%, the FTSE in London was flat, and Germany's DAX closed 0.30% higher.

The Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index compiled by S&P Global declined in June for the fourth time in five months, dropping to 45.8 from a 14-month high of 47.3 in May. Only Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands registered growth.

In the UK, the seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI declined to 50.9 in June from a 22-month high of 51.2 in May. Despite the drop, it was the second straight month the PMI was above the 50.0 mark indicating expansion.

Meanwhile, UK house prices rose 0.2% in June compared with May, and were up 1.5% from June of 2023, according to the Nationwide House Price Index.

And in Germany, the annual inflation rate for June was an estimated 2.2%, according to the Federal Statistical Office, while consumer prices rose an estimated 0.1% from May. The annual core inflation rate, which excludes food and energy prices, was estimated at 2.9% for June.

In corporate news, bank stocks rallied on the European bourses in Monday's trading session, led by Societe Generale, which closed 4% higher in Paris, followed by Credit Agricole and BNP Paribas, which rose 3.7% and 3.6% respectively. Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank closed 3.3% and 3% higher respectively in Frankfurt. And in London, Standard Chartered and Barclays gained 2.3% and 2.1% respectively, followed by Lloyds Banking and NatWest Group, which were up 1.6% and 1% respectively.

London-based private markets data provider Preqin said Saturday that it has been acquired by asset management giant BlackRock for 2.55 billion British pounds ($3.23 billion) in cash. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi is close to deciding on an investment of between 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) and 1.5 billion euros at a key production site in Frankfurt, Germany, where it manufactures insulin, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported Monday. Shares of Sanofi closed 2.5% higher in Paris.

British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Monday in a regulatory filing that the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, has recommended approval for the combination of Lynparza and Imfinzi to treat certain patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Spanish pharmaceutical company Grifols said Monday that its Biotest subsidiary forecasts about $1 billion in revenue over the next seven years from sales of its intravenous immunoglobulin Yimmugo in the US.

Irish construction materials supplier CRH said Monday it had completed its acquisition of a majority stake in Adbri from Barro Group. Under the deal, CRH will acquire the remaining 57% of Adbri's ordinary shares not owned by Barro.