Europe markets seen higher amid Catalonia tensions

The U.K.’s FTSE is expected to start the day 2 points higher at 7,525, while the French CAC is seen up 14 points at 5,374. The German DAX is set to open higher by 21 points at 12,977. The Spanish IBEX is anticipated to open 4 points lower at 10,182.

Political instability in Spain continues to simmer away, with hundreds of thousands of protesters gathering in Catalonia’s capital Barcelona over the weekend to protest against a resurgent independence movement that has been gathering steam in recent days. Both real estate firm Inmobiliaria Colonial and infrastructure company Abertis have called meetings Monday to discuss relocating their head offices outside of Catalonia.

European Central Bank stress test results will be released at 8:30 a.m. London time. Also in European news, Eurogroup ministers, finance ministers from euro zone nations, are convening in Luxembourg, a meeting which will be German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble’s last.

The fifth round of Brexit talks between the U.K. and the EU are to begin in Brussels this week. At home, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to bolster her rocky leadership in a speech to parliament Monday, at which she will say that the” ball is now in (the EU’s) court.”

In the U.S., banks are closed for Columbus Day holiday though markets remain open. Hurricane Nate made landfall in Mississippi and has since been downgraded to a tropical depression. It caused flooding but no major damage in the U.S. Source: CNBC