LONDON, July 24 — Global stocks finished mixed yesterday ahead of a heavy week of corporate earnings amid lingering tensions over trade wars.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker heads to Washington tomorrow to meet with President Donald Trump and try to avert an escalation of tit-for-tat trade tariffs.

Trump already is embroiled in a messy trade spat with China and Europe, while negotiations with Canada and Mexico to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement have stalled.

"It is hard to imagine a more difficult trading environment due to worsening trade-war rhetoric, a sharp devaluation of the Chinese currency, an unsynchronized global recovery, and the President commenting on Fed policy,” said Canaccord Genuity strategist Tony Dwyer.

The week’s calendar includes a heavy schedule of earnings reports from companies ranging from British pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline to German automaker Daimler to US aerospace titan Boeing.

Tech companies are also in focus, with Amazon and Facebook reporting later in the week. Google-parent Alphabet rocketed higher in after-hours trading Monday after reporting better-than-expected results.

Equity markets in Paris, London and Frankfurt all ended somewhat lower, while major US indices were mixed.

Tokyo’s stock market meanwhile dropped 1.3 per cent -- falling for a third straight trading day -- as a stronger yen hurt exporters, making their products less competitive abroad.

Oil prices pushed higher early in the day after Trump warned Iran would "suffer consequences” in response to bellicose commentary from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who cautioned Trump not to "play with the lion’s tail,” saying that conflict with Iran would trigger the "mother of all wars.”

But oil prices later pulled back, ending slightly lower on concerns about additional oil supply from Saudi Arabia.

Among individual names, Italian automaker Fiat Chrysler skidded 1.7 per cent lower in Milan after its chief of 14 years Sergio Marchionne suffered life-changing health problems, forcing the company to name a new management team.

Shares in budget airline Ryanair fell in London trade as it reported its profit had been squeezed by higher fuel costs and salaries for pilots. With limited visibility on Brexit and a strike set for this week, the company’s share price tumbled 6.4 per cent.

Key figures at 2100 GMT 

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.1 per cent at 25,044.29 (close)

New York - S&P 500: UP 0.2 per cent at 2,806.98 (close)

New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.3 per cent at 7,841.87 (close)

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 per cent at 7,655.79 (close)

Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 0.1 per cent at 12,548.57 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 per cent at 5,378.25 (close)

EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.2 per cent at 3,453.42 (close)

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.3 per cent at 22,396.99 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: Up 0.1 per cent 28,256.12 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.1 per cent at 2,859.54 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at US$1.1694 from US$1.1724 (RM4.75 from RM4.77) at 2100 GMT

Pound/dollar: DOWN at US$1.3102 from US$1.3125

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 111.35 yen from 111.41 yen

Oil - Brent Crude: DOWN 1 cent at US$73.06 per barrel

Oil - West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 37 cents at US$67.89 per barrel. — AFP