By Sara Sjolin
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets opened with mild losses on Tuesday, with banks leading declines, pulling back after six straight days of gains. The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.17% slipped 0.1% to 279.41, after closing at the highest level since May 2011 on Monday. Shares of HSBC Holdings PLC UK:HSBA -0.28% HBC -0.27% HK:5 +0.31% fell 0.3%, after the bank said it has reached an agreement with U.S. authorities in relation to money-laundering investigations. The FTSE 100 index UK:UKX +0.05% dropped 0.1% to 5,914.60. In Germany, Deutsche Bank AG DE:DBK -1.76% DB -1.41% fell 0.6%, while Commerzbank AG DE:CBK -2.35% lost 0.7%. The DAX 30 index DX:DAX +0.55% , however, rose 0.1% to 7,541.53, with Siemens AG shares DE:SIE +1.06% up 0.5%. And in France, shares of oil group Total SA FR:FP +0.98% TOT +0.44% rose 0.6%, tracking a gain in oil prices. The CAC 40 index FR:PX1 +0.63% traded 0.1% higher at 3,615.12.
