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The benchmark FTSEurofirst 300 was down 0.5 per cent to 861.73 points at 08:17 BST, Reuters reports, with BHP Billiton, ArcelorMittal and Rio Tinto sliding by between 1.6 and 2.9 per cent.
However, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca rose, adding 3.7 per cent after it emerged that its experimental heart drug Brilinta has outperformed products produced by its competitors.
According to the news source, many investors are awaiting financial results from HSBC before moving into the market, which has gained 33 per cent since early March and ended 1.7 per cent higher on Friday.
Strategist at Close Brothers Seydler Roger Peeters remained positive, stating: "We have good chances for a further positive development."
However, he warned that there is still a "note of caution" surrounding the "big picture".
The FTSEurofirst 300 features Europe's largest blue chip companies and joined the FTSEurofirst Index Series in September 2004.
