European shares mixed on caution ahead of US tariff deadline

July 7 (Reuters) - European shares were mixed on Monday, with investors alert for any trade-related headlines in the countdown to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff deadline.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX was flat at 541.08 points, as of 0709 GMT.

Other major regional indexes were mixed, with Germany's DAX .GDAXI up 0.4%, France's CAC 40 .FCHI down 0.1%, Spain's IBEX .IBEX edging 0.1% higher, and the UK's FTSE 100 .FTSE slipping 0.2%.

The U.S. is close to finalising several trade agreements in the coming days and will notify other countries of higher tariff rates by July 9, Trump said on Sunday. The new rates are set to take effect from August 1.

Trump also threatened an extra 10% tariff on countries aligning themselves with the "anti-American policies" of the BRICS group of developing nations.

Both the tariff levels and effective dates have become moving targets as Trump, on Friday, added to the confusion by mentioning that some tariffs could reach up to 70%, levels far higher than the 10%-50% range he announced in April.

A White House official said on Friday that U.S. trade talks with the European Union were continuing and there was optimism an agreement could be reached in short order.

European energy .SXEP stocks fell 1.3%, tracking oil prices. Banks .SX7P were up 0.6%.

Capgemini CAPP.PA fell 2.8% after the French IT services firm agreed to buy technology outsourcing company WNS WNS.N for a cash payment of $3.3 billion.