London CNN Business  — 

2. Brexit deadlock: The United Kingdom continues to march towards Brexit without a viable exit plan.

The company said over the weekend that its profit for 2019 will be close to last year’s level. Shares in the carmaker declined 4.7% in Frankfurt on Monday. The stock has dropped 20% from a recent high in April.

The central bank just cut interest rates for the first time in more than a decade. But in failing to signal that more rate cuts are coming, Chair Jerome Powell has spooked investors, who had hoped the small cut would be just the start.

But the warning goes beyond diesel. Flagging profits undercut Daimler’s ability to plow money into the vehicles of the future at a time when such investment is crucial. The company is racing to offer 130 electric and hybrid models by 2022, in addition to electric vans, buses and trucks.

The need for new investment is forcing carmakers to join forces, either in the form of partnerships or mergers. The Wall Street Journal reported this weekend that Fiat Chrysler (FCAU) and Renault (RNLSY)could revive merger talks that collapsed earlier this month after the French government intervened.

3. Bayer damages: A federal jury has awarded $80 million to a California man after determining that the popular Monsanto weedkiller, Roundup, was a substantial factor in causing his cancer.

President Donald Trump said in an interview on “Meet the Press” this weekend that he’s “not looking for war” with Iran. But tensions remain, with additional US sanctions on Tehran set to be announced Monday.

4. Brexit delayed: UK lawmakers on Thursday voted to delay the country’s departure from the European Union. Prime Minister Theresa May is now set to ask EU leaders next week for an extension to the March 29 deadline.

5. Global market overview: US stock futures were flat.

The index is set to open up 50 points, or 0.2%. That would put it fewer than 100 points from its record peak notched in October.

The S&P 500 is poised to open up 0.2%, while the Nasdaq could rise 0.3%.

European markets opened mostly higher. Stocks in Asia finished the session mixed.

Major stocks in Asia also closed higher, while European markets edged upwards at the open.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed 0.1% lower on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dropped 0.5% and the Nasdaq shed 0.6%.

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7. Coming this week:
Thursday — US final estimate Q4 GDP
Friday — Huawei earnings; Carmax (KMX) earnings