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LIVE MARKETS-Early morning headline round-up
* European stocks called lower
* Asian trading weaker
* Less hawkish Fed weighs on dollar
March 22 - Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to
you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Helen Reid. Reach her on Messenger to
share your thoughts on market moves: helen.reid.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
EARLY MORNING HEADLINE ROUND-UP (0646 GMT)
In earnings and M&A news today, the world's no. 2 maker of cement, Heidelberg Cement
, gave an early Easter present to its shareholders, hiking its dividend by a fifth on
record profits and higher-than-expected synergies from its Italcementi (Hamburg: 1086183.HM - news) takeover. The dividend of
1.90 euros per share for 2017 did however fall short of analysts' expectations for a 1.99 euro
payout.
In M&A news, Bayer (IOB: 0P6S.IL - news) won Australian approval for its purchase of Monsanto (Hamburg: 1132157.HM - news) after
getting EU regulators' clearance on Wednesday. Meanwhile Reckitt Benckiser overnight said
it had ended discussions with Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE - news) over buying its consumer healthcare business.
And after E.ON's deal with RWE (IOB: 0FUZ.IL - news) to carve up Innogy, the German state of Bavaria has dropped
the idea of selling its 1.44 percent stake in the utility, a source said.
HeidelbergCement (IOB: 0MG2.IL - news) to hike dividend by a fifth on synergies
Bayer wins EU approval for $62.5 bln Monsanto buy
Reckitt Benckiser (Xetra: A0M1W6 - news) pulls out of Pfizer consumer health auction
Bavaria plans now to keep 1.44 pct stake in E.ON - source
Saint-Gobain CEO expects resolution of Sika (IOB: 0QMA.IL - news) case by end of year
MORNING CALL: EUROPEAN STOCKS TO FALL AFTER LESS HAWKISH FED(0618 GMT)
Good morning and welcome to Live Markets.
European stocks are called to open lower this morning after the Fed raised rates overnight
and forecast two more hikes for 2018, a guidance seen as less hawkish than anticipated.
The slower pace of rate hikes weighed on the U.S. dollar, which could have a knock-on effect
today on European exporters earnings in dollars.
Chinese shares slipped overnight to two-week lows, with trade war fears still gripping
investors.
Oil prices near six-week highs could however give a boost to energy stocks in European
trading today.
Spreadbetters call the DAX 48 points lower at 12,261, the CAC 40 down 20 points at 5,225,
and the FTSE 100 22 points lower at 7,017.
(Helen Reid)
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