The Dax slipped below the 14,000 point mark on Monday due to growing concerns about interest rates and the economy.

The leading German index fell to 13,870 points before stabilizing somewhat.

Most recently, it lost 1.4 percent to 13,933 points.

Other indices followed with clear losses: The M-Dax lost 1.3 percent to 30,406 points and the Eurozone leading index Euro Stoxx 50 fell by 2.2 percent.

The re-election of French President Emmanuel Macron did not help stock prices on Monday.

The leading French index CAC 40 was down 1.7 percent in the morning at 6467 points.

Fear of a rapid rise in key interest rates in the United States and possibly soon higher interest rates in the euro zone has the markets firmly in its grip.

German Bunds started the new week with slight price gains.

On Monday morning, the trend-setting futures contract Euro Bund Future rose by 0.63 percent to 154.23 points.

The yield on ten-year Bunds was 0.94 percent.

It is thus still just below the one percent mark, which it last exceeded in mid-2015.

In combination with high inflation, the Ukraine war, stressed supply chains and the worsening corona situation in China, there are concerns about a recession.

The extension of the corona curfew to the capital Beijing weighed on the Asian stock markets on Monday.

The Shanghai Composite Index fell 5.13 percent to 2,928 points at the close on Monday.

It was the lowest level in two years.

The CSI 300 index of the 300 most important companies in mainland China fell almost 5 percent to 3814 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index also came under pressure, falling 3.7 percent to 19,869 points.

In Japan, the leading index Nikkei 225 ended trading 1.90 percent lower at 26,590 points.

In Australia, the stock exchange was closed for a public holiday.

The oil price was also depressed by concerns about the economy in China.

Lower economic activity due to extended lockdowns leads investors to expect lower demand.

The American crude oil grade WTI fell below $100 a barrel again and cost $97.72 on Monday morning, 3.92 percent less than on Friday.

North Sea Brent lost more than $4 to $102.18.

In the morning, the focus is on the Ifo business climate in Germany, according to which the mood in the German economy brightened somewhat in April.

Analysts had expected a slowdown, but the indicator rose one point to 91.8 points.

"After the initial shock of the Russian attack, the German economy has shown itself to be resilient," commented Ifo President Clemens Fuest.

Sentiment has stabilized at a low level.

The still pessimistic expectations of the companies brightened noticeably, the current situation was rated hardly better.

The business climate improved in industry and among service providers, while it deteriorated in trade and construction.