The FTSE MIB fell by 0.2% to around 41,520 in early trading on Monday, snapping a five-day winning streak as investors remained focused on trade developments. The August 12 deadline set by President Donald Trump for a US-China deal is approaching, but there has been no indication yet of an extension from either side. Meanwhile, Trump announced last Friday he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine—a development that could potentially prevent further US sanctions on Moscow. Domestically, investors will closely watch for the release of final inflation figures and trade data. In corporate news, Jefferies upgraded pharmaceutical company Recordati from ‘hold’ to ‘buy’, raising its price target to €61.5 from €55. Recordati’s shares climbed 2.5%. Conversely, notable declines were seen from Leonardo (-2.1%), Prysmian (-1.3%), Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (-1.1%), and Buzzi Unicem (-1.2%).