European tech stocks gripped by U.S. recession fears

(Reuters) - Shares of European tech and semiconductor stocks were down on Monday, as worries over a possible U.S. recession after soft data gripped financial markets and triggered a rush out of this year's top-performing stocks and into safe-haven assets.

The STOXX tech index was last down 4.1%, making it the worst performer among sectoral indices on region-wide STOXX 600, which shed some 3%.

A report that Nvidia could delay its AI chip also weighed on sentiment.

The tech index already lost 6% on Friday after weaker-than-expected U.S. job growth and factory data, and disappointing earnings from U.S. heavyweight Intel.

Chip equipment makers cslumped 12%, on top of a 13% fall on Friday. ASML, the largest maker of equipment used to manufacture computer chips, was down 4%.

BE Semiconductor and STMicroelectronic were down around 5%.

(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Amanda Cooper)