European stock markets slid Monday following a mixed showing across Asia with activity thinning as investors wind down for the end of year.

The Dow had Friday edged to a fresh record high but the Nasdaq retreated after 10 straight all-time highs.

Around 1115 GMT on Monday, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 0.4 percent compared with the close on Friday.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 0.6 percent and the Paris CAC 40 lost 0.3 percent.

The pound rose against the euro and dollar.

Tokyo’s Nikkei stocks index closed down 0.8 percent as investors cashed in ahead of the New Year holidays, but the final day of trading still saw the benchmark end up 18.2 percent from a year earlier.

“Investors appear to be growing a tad apprehensive about chasing the record-setting US equity market… into year-end,” said Stephen Innes, chief Asia market strategist at AxiTrader.

Analysts have attributed the latest run of US records to upbeat investor sentiment based on a lower risk of recession in the immediate future, a mellowing of US-China trade tensions, and accommodative monetary policy.

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Investors were looking ahead to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s set-piece New Year’s speech on Wednesday, with all eyes on nuclear-armed Pyongyang’s threat of a “new way” after its end-of-year deadline for sanctions relief from the US.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is also scheduled to give a New Year’s address, while traders will also be watching for the Tuesday release of China’s official manufacturing PMI data.

Elsewhere, oil prices climbed on continued demand, mainly sidestepping comments from OPEC on Friday that the cartel would discuss ending production curbs next year.

– Key figures around 1115 GMT –
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,614.38 points

Frankfurt – DAX 30: DOWN 0.6 percent at 13,260.23

Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,019.41

EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,766.84

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.8 percent at 23,656.62 (close)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.3 percent at 28,319.39 (close)

Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,040.02 (close)

New York – Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 28,645.26 (close)

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3118 from $1.3078

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.36 pence from 85.46 pence

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1199 from $1.1177

Dollar/yen: UP at 109.11 from 109.4

Brent Crude: UP 0.7 percent at $68.63 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $61.90 per barrel

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