DUBAI  - Here are some factors that may affect Middle East stock markets on Monday. Reuters has not verified the press reports and does not vouch for their accuracy.

INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL

* GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks falter, sterling skids as new COVID strain shuts UK 

* Oil prices fall amid worries over new coronavirus strain

* PRECIOUS-Gold scales 1-1/2-month high on U.S. stimulus deal boost 

* MIDEAST STOCKS-Qatari shares outperform on broad-based gains; Saudi eases 

* Russia's Novak says Saudi Aramco could expand role in Russian energy 

* Rockets fired at U.S. embassy land inside Baghdad's Green Zone, damaging compound 

* El Al Airlines to operate first Israel-Morocco flight on Dec 22 

* Lebanon's airline warns of new ticket challenge facing dollar account holders

 

EGYPT

* Egypt's military to offer two firms for sale in first quarter 

* Egypt aims to import 400,000-500,000 T of sugar in 2021, says official 

* Egypt's strategic sugar reserves sufficient until August 2021 - official 

SAUDI ARABIA

* Saudi Arabia suspends international flights and land and sea entry for a week - SPA 

* Saudi c.bank increases weekly bill offering to 10 bln riyals 

 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

* State-backed Meraas plans buyout of theme park group DXB Entertainments 

 

QATAR

* Qatar approves Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine emergency use - QNA news agency 

 

KUWAIT

* Kuwait civil aviation authority adds UK to its high-risk list of countries 

 

BAHRAIN

* Investcorp sells Banque Paris Bertrand stake to Rothschild 

 

OMAN

* Oman to start cutting utility subsidies in January

(Compiled by Dubai newsroom) ((dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com))