BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks may open higher on Monday in line with mostly positive Asian market trading following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech for emergency use.
In addition, trading will reflect the news that Britain and the European Union have agreed to continue Brexit trade talks beyond Sunday's deadline. Post-Brexit trade talks were extended until Sunday with both prime minister Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warning about the high probability for a no-deal outcome.
EU leaders on Friday had reached an agreement to unblock the EU's 1.8 trillion euros financial package following Hungary and Poland lifting their objections.
In Covid-19 news, vaccinations in the U.S. are likely to begin Monday after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC's Advisory Committee recommended vaccination with Pfizer vaccine for persons aged 16 years and older.
On the economic data front, Eurozone industrial production data is due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.
At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to release Germany's wholesale price figures for November, with economists forecasting wholesale prices to rise 0.2 percent on month, in contrast to a 0.2 percent fall in October. Germany's central bank is also slated to release its monthly report at 6.00 am ET.
Asian stock markets are mostly higher on Monday despite the mixed cues from Wall Street Friday, following FDA's emergency use authorization for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, as well as Britain and the EU's decision to continue Brexit trade talks.
On Wall Street, stocks closed mixed on Friday. The Dow recovered from an early slide to close modestly higher, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 closed in the negative territory. The Dow rose 0.2 percent to 30,046.37; the Nasdaq dipped 0.2 percent to 12,377.87; and the S&P 500 edged down 0.1 percent to 3,663.46.
The major European markets all moved to the downside on Friday after post-Brexit trade talks were extended until Sunday. While the German DAX Index tumbled by 1.4 percent, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index and the French CAC 40 Index both slid by 0.8 percent.
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