LONDON -- European stocks are starting the week on a mixed note for the most part Monday, with sentiment weakened after Japan posted slower-than-expected GDP growth data overnight, adding to concerns about the global economic recovery following China's soft export numbers last week. However, in Europe confidence that the central bank will intervene in the debt markets and do "all it takes" to hold the euro together is keeping losses to a minimum. Futures trading indicates that U.S. indexes are set to follow a similar pattern to those in Europe, with premarket trade showing the S&P 500 (INDEX: ^GSPC) set to open down just 0.1%.
Within this mixed session, there are some stocks suffering deep losses. Here are three American depositary receipts the S&P should beat today.
Nokia (NYSE: NOK)
Having seen a few consecutive sessions of gains, the Finnish phone maker has been hit by a bout of profit taking, which is pushing shares 2.3% lower. News that Nokia will sell its Qt app-tools unit, bought in 2008 to develop applications for Symbian and MeeGo operating systems which Nokia no longer focuses on, has helped its share price rally the past few sessions. The company's shares have more than doubled since this time last month.
ASML Holdings (Nasdaq: ASML)
The maker of semiconductor manufacturing equipment is down almost 1% in London, pressured by light volumes as investors consolidate their position in the company. Last week the company announced that it will receive 1.1 billion euros from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing for investment in its research and development of cutting-edge equipment, while TSM takes a 5% stake in ASML's Netherland-based Veldhoven for 832 million euros.
Royal Bank of Scotland (NYSE: RBS)
The taxpayer-owned bank is down 0.7% in London amid general concern surrounding U.K. banks in the wake of the LIBOR scandal and the controversy surrounding Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN). This comes days after RBS's securities arm admitted that a manual error was behind a 0.6% jump in the euro versus the Swiss franc last week. The bank said the error was corrected immediately and no clients were affected.
As usual, this morning's European trading saw some stocks lose ground -- and perhaps provide some European buying opportunities. Indeed, legendary investor Warren Buffett has recently spent more than $1 billion buying a European large-cap stock that's currently trading well below its 2012 high. If you want to know what Buffett has bought within Europe, this special Motley Fool report -- "The One European Share Warren Buffett Loves" -- reveals everything, including the price he paid. You can download the report today for free, but hurry -- the report is available for a limited time only.
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