10 Things You Need To Know Before European Markets Open

Good morning! At the start of a new week, here are the major stories likely to have an impact as markets open in London and Paris.

It's The Deadline For A Deal With Iran. Time runs out Monday for the biggest chance in years to resolve the Iranian nuclear standoff, as Tehran and world powers make a final push for a deal but with a risky extension looking likely.

China Is Getting Ready To Cut Rates Again. China's leadership and central bank are ready to cut interest rates again and also loosen lending restrictions, concerned that falling prices could trigger a surge in debt defaults, business failures and job losses, after Friday's surprise rate cut.

European Inflation Is Expected To Drop To A New Five Year Low. The data out later this week will put more pressure on the ECB to act, according to Bloomberg.

Lufthansa Says It's Taking A Bigger Slice Of The German Market. Germany's largest airline Deutsche Lufthansa has won a bigger slice of its domestic market in recent months, its chief executive told newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Italy's Intesa May Buy Coutts. Italy's retail bank Intesa SanPaolo is looking at a possible bid for Coutts International, the wealth management arm of Royal Bank of Scotland , the Financial Times reported.

Asian Markets Closed Up. Japan's Nikkei finished 0.33% higher on Monday, as Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 1.92%.

Aviva and Friends Life's Merger Is Gaining Approval. Aviva's potential £5.6 billion ($8.8 billion) purchase of Friends Life reflects a need to consolidate and cut costs in Britain's insurance industry, according to fund managers.

UK Telecoms Firms Have Filed A Complaint Against BT. Britain's biggest telecoms service providers have filed a complaint to media regulator Ofcom demanding greater competition in the business broadband market, where they say BT has an effective monopoly.

German Confidence Figures Are Coming. The IFO Institute's November survey on Germany's business survey is out at 9 a.m. GMT, giving an early insight into how Europe's biggest economy is weathering its slowdown. Economists expect a slight improvement in business expectations. Markit's PMI figures for the US are out at 2.45 p.m. GMT.

Tunisia's Presidential Election Will Probably Need A Run-Off. Tunisians voted on Sunday to pick their first directly elected president, with the two major parties expecting a run-off as the final step in the North African state's transition to full democracy, according to Reuters.