European stocks to open higher as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline looms

LONDON — European stocks are expected to open broadly higher on Tuesday as investors gauge developments ahead of the expiry deadline for the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is seen opening slightly higher, with Germany’s DAX up 0.24%, France’s CAC 40up 0.2% and Italy’s FTSE MIB up 0.6%, according to data from IG.

Global markets are still assessing prospects for peace talks and the possibility of escalation.

The two-week ceasefire agreed between the U.S. and Iran was set to expire at 12:00 a.m. GMT (Tuesday, 08:00 p.m. ET), although U.S. President Donald Trump told Bloomberg on Monday that the truce would end “Wednesday evening Washington time.”

Trumpagain threatenedIranwith overwhelming military force on Monday, saying “lots of bombs [will] start going off” if no deal is reached before the shakyceasefire expires.

The latest threat, made in a phone call with aPBS News reporter, came as the status of fresh U.S.-Iran peace talks have grown increasingly opaque.