European markets edged higher on Monday as a shortened trading week began in the run-up to Christmas. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was up 0.4% during morning deals, with most sectors in positive territory. European markets TICKER COMPANY PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE .FTSE FTSE 100 8093.66 9.05 0.11 .GDAXI DAX 19851.95 -32.8 -0.16 .FCHI CAC 40 Index 7269.67 -4.81 -0.07 .FTMIB FTSE MIB 33741.84 -24.45 -0.07 .IBEX IBEX 35 Idx 11448.4 -18.9 -0.16 Trading is expected to be relatively muted in the run-up to Christmas, with European markets set to be closed, or close early, for Christmas Eve and remain shut on Christmas Day. Overnight, Asia-Pacific markets started the week on a positive note, with investors digesting a press conference relating to the merger of Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan. The carmakers confirmed on Monday that they had begun merger talks. Shares of France’s Renault, which owns a minority stake in Nissan, were around 0.7% lower at 9:08 a.m. London time. Back in Europe, revised figures showed the U.K. economy flatlined in the third quarter of the year, with GDP growing 0% in the three months to September.