LIVE MARKETS-Aerodefence, tech and banks on our radar at the open

* European shares seen little changed

* In Asia, stocks fall

* China April factory growth unexpectedly slows

* Eyes on earnings: Airbus, AMS, Apple

* Euro zone Q1 GDP data due

April 30 - Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Danilo Masoni. Reach him on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: danilo.masoni.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net .

AERODEFENCE, TECH AND BANKS ON OUR RADAR AT THE OPEN (0654 GMT)

European shares are expected to open little changed on a big day for macro and earnings releases in Europe and the US. Futures on main country benchmarks are trading between flat and a fall of 0.1 percent following a drop in Asian shares overnight on the back of disappointing manufacturing data from China.

Aerospace heavyweight Airbus is seen up 1 percent after it confirmed its FY targets and posted slightly higher-than-expected core Q1 profits. Last week rival Boeing abandoned its 2019 financial outlook. In the same sector, French defence electronics group Thales also kept its underlying financial targets but posted a bigger than expected dip in Q1 sales, sending its shares down before the open, while MTU Aero could benefit from better-than-expected sales and profit numbers. Europe's aerodefence index ended at a record high in the previous session.

Tech stocks are also very much in focus with Apple supplier AMS seen rallying 8 percent after beating guidance for Q1 operating profit and giving upbeat outlook for the Q2, just head Apple's own results later on. The Austrian group has been working on diversifying from Apple and it looks that demand for its 3D optical sensors for Android smartphones is starting to pay off. Still in tech, Samsung Electronic flagged improved H2 results on expectations of a pick up in memory chip and smartphone sales, after posting its weakest profit in more than two years in the first quarter. German chipmaker Aixtron however is down around 6 percent in early trade after its results that showed order intake down a third. Google shares fell in after hours trading following a revenue miss, which may be a possible burden on Wall Street later.

Banks will be another sector to watch as Q1 earnings continue to roll in. Standard Chartered rose more than 5 percent in Asian hours after it unveiled plans for an up to $1 billion share buyback, its first such in at least 20 years, while we also have numbers from Nordea Bank and BBVA, which are both seen opening down around 2 percent after reporting lower profits. Scandal-hit Danske Bank reported Q1 pre-tax profits below expectations and lowered its outlook for 2019 in part due to higher funding costs. Deutsche Bank is also on the watchlist but not for earnings. Trump filed a federal lawsuit against the German lender and Capital One Financial to block the banks from complying with federal subpoenas investigating his financial dealings.

For more headlines check out the previous post.

(Danilo Masoni)

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EARNINGS SO FAR: AIRBUS KEEPS OUTLOOK, LUFTHANSA LOSS WIDENS, BUYBACK FOR STANCHART (0552 GMT)

Turning to the corporate front, headlines so far are mostly about earnings. There is a good looking update from planemaker Airbus which stuck to its full-year financial targets after posting slightly higher-than-expected core Q1 profits, while rising fuel costs and excess capacity in Europe dragged Lufthansa into a Q1 net loss of 342 million euros.

Among banks, Standard Chartered unveiled plans for an up to $1 billion share buyback, its first such in at least 20 years, while we also have numbers from Nordea Bank and BBVA, which both reported lower profits.

Deutsche Bank will be another one to watch but not for earnings. Donald Trump filed a federal lawsuit against the German lender and Capital One Financial to block the banks from complying with federal subpoenas investigating his financial dealings.

Here is your early morning headlines roundup:

Airbus keeps outlook as Q1 core earnings rise

Trump sues Deutsche Bank and Capital One to block House subpoenas

StanChart flags turnaround progress with $1 bln share buyback plan

Lufthansa Q1 net loss widens as fuel costs, overcapacity weigh

Nordea provides 95 million euro for possible fine for alleged money laundering

Santander Q1 net profit falls 10 pct, hit by Britain, Poland

Norsk Hydro expects cyber attack costs of up to $52 mln in Q1

French group Thales keeps underlying financial targets as Q1 sales dip

SEB Q1 operating profit above forecast

Clariant cautions about tough economy as Q1 sales stagnate

Logitech fourth-quarter profit rises 22 percent

Daimler will pull Smart mini-cars out of United States, Canada

Deutsche Boerse first-quarter profit up 11 pct

(Danilo Masoni)

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EUROPEAN STOCKS SEEN MIXED ON BIG MACRO AND EARNINGS DAY (0533 GM)

European shares are expected to open mixed today on a big day for macro data with manufacturing surveys out of China early on failing to meet expectations and ahead of Q1 economic growth numbers for the euro zone, France, Italy and Spain.

Investors will also be quite busy in digesting earning reports in Europe (Airbus, AMS, Santander, Lufthansa just to name a few...) but also in the U.S. where Apple, ConocoPhillips, General Electric, General Motors and McDonalds are due to release their updates.

Spreadbetters at IG expect London's FTSE to open 4 points higher at 7,445, Frankfurt's DAX to open 18 points lower at 12,310, and Paris' CAC to open 11 points lower at 5,570.

Over in Asia, shares fell as the disappointing Chinese manufacturing activity readings underscored weakness in the world's second-largest economy despite Beijing's attempts to spur growth.

(Danilo Masoni)

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