M&A continued as a key influence for European stocks while politics also returned to the fore as polls narrowed in favor of Le Pen European stock markets were mixed Monday as investors reacted to the continued ebb and flow of merger news and politics returned to the fore with French election polls narrowing in favor of Marine Le Pen. Le Pen, the most divisive candidate standing in the Presidential election, saw polls for voting intentions in the second and final round of the race narrow.