MORNING BID EUROPE-Berlin attack - the familiar story unfolds

* A look at the day ahead from European Economics and Politics Editor Mark John and Nigel Stephenson, specialist editor, EMEA markets. The views expressed are their own.

LONDON, Dec (Shanghai: 600875.SS - news) 22 (Reuters) - The emerging story around Anis Amri, chief suspect in the Berlin truck attack, is depressingly familiar: a young, disaffected North African who moves around Europe, gets radicalised, appears on the radar screen of authorities as a potential danger but who is not apprehended in time.

As with past attacks across Europe, Islamic State has claimed responsibility, and there are signs he came into contact with a local Islamist suspected of being an IS recruiter.

Amri is still nothing more than the main suspect but already, in political terms, it is hard to imagine a more troubling scenario for Angela Merkel to have to deal with.

Market research company GfK (Swiss: GFK.SW - news) 's monthly consumer sentiment reading makes for sobering reading on the UK economy, with punters increasingly worried that higher inflation will erode their spending power next year.

Indeed, their expectations for the year to come are now the weakest since just after June's vote to leave the European Union, and before that they were last lower in April 2013.

The one bright spot: it has led to a big one-off jump in households' appetite to make major purchases such as washing machines etc now, before prices go up.

MARKETS AT 0755 GMT

The ramifications of Monte dei Paschi (Milan: BMPS.MI - news) 's failure to pull off its rescue plan looks like the only trigger for market action early on Thursday.

Most markets are thinning out for Christmas.

Italian government bond yields are up 2 basis points, as are yields in Spain, which has banking problems of its own.

German benchmark yields are down. European shares are expected to open lower after dipping 0.2 pct on Wednesday.

The dollar is down a shade against its currency basket. Investors may sell it further if U.S. GDP data disappoints later in the day. The euro is up 0.2 percent and so far does not look troubled by banking woes.

European stock futures are indicated opening about 0.2 percent lower, set to drop for a second straight day after hitting the highest level since Jan. 4 on Tuesday. So far, December has been the strongest month for the STOXX 600 since October 2015, so some consolidation of gains in thin pre-holiday trade is perhaps to be expected.

Monte Paschi will, of course, be in focus. It ended down 12 percent on Wednesday, as it failed to find an anchor investor for its private rescue plan, raising the prospect of a state bailout for the world's oldest bank. Its share offer ends today.

Actelion (LSE: 0QMN.L - news) is also back in the spotlight after it said it had entered exclusive talks with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ - news) . Sanofi (LSE: 0O59.L - news) had been circling the company after J&J a little over a week ago said it had ended discussions with Actelion. But now J&J seems to back in pole position for a takeover. Actelion is seen opening up 4.7 percent, which would send the stock to a record high.

Upcoming data/events/themes for market reports on Thursday

* Philippines central bank policy decisions

* Europe corp events: Centrica (Frankfurt: A0DK6K - news) , Go-Ahead, Petrofac (Amsterdam: PF6.AS - news) , PZ Cussons

* Czech central bank policy decision, press conference

* Italy Oct industrial orders, retail sales, trade

* Sweden Nov PPI

* US Nov durable goods orders, final Q3 estimates, Nov income/consumption, PCE inflation gauges weekly jobless claims

* Canada Nov CPI inflation, Oct (Shenzhen: 000069.SZ - news) retail sales (Editing by Louise Ireland)