Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot expected to sign binding merger deal as soon as early-Dec -source

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot owner PSA aim to sign a final merger agreement as early as the beginning of next month, a source familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The two automakers said earlier this week they planned to join forces in a 50-50 share merger to create the world's fourth-largest automaker, seeking scale to cope with costly new technologies and slowing global demand.

They said they aimed to reach a binding deal on the $50 billion mergers "in the coming weeks". The source said the two groups were at work to finalize all the merger details and they hoped to sign a binding memorandum of understanding in "three-four weeks".

"This means the final agreement should be signed by early December, or by Christmas at the latest," the source said, confirming a report published earlier on Saturday in La Stampa daily newspaper.

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