European markets are expected to open higher on Monday ahead of crucial votes in the U.K. that will determine whether the country's Brexit deal and departure from the EU will be approved, rejected or delayed.
This is a crucial week for European stocks and sterling with Brexit at the forefront of investors' minds. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a crunch series of votes this week that will determine the course of Brexit. On Tuesday, U.K. lawmakers are voting on whether to accept her Brexit deal or not.
So far, there has been little movement from the EU to re-open talks over the deal although the bloc signaled it was willing to give more assurances over the contentious Irish 'backstop' issue that has so far been a big stumbling block to support for the Brexit deal. European bank stocks will be in focus after reports that Deutsche Bank has agreed to merger talks with rival Commerzbank, with Berlin said to back a tie-up despite the risk of a huge financial shortfall, sources told Reuters.