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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))