Investing.com - European stocks were mostly lower on Monday, amid heightened expectations for a September rate hike by the Federal Reserve and as markets awaited the release of euro zone inflation data later in the day. During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.63%, France’s CAC 40 retreated 0.71%, while Germany’s DAX 30 slid 0.59%. Equity markets were jittery after Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said it was still too early to determine whether to raise short-term interest rates from near zero, where they have been held since December 2008, at the bank’s September meeting. Earlier Monday, data showed that German retail sales increased by 1.4% in July, beating expectations for a 1.0% rise. Retail sales fell 1.0% in June, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 2.3% drop. Financial stocks were broadly lower, as... More