LIVE MARKETS-Earnings checkup: Margin pressure building, but revisions bottoming out?

Nov 12 - 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

EARNINGS CHECKUP: MARGIN PRESSURE BUILDING, BUT REVISIONS BOTTOMING OUT? (1132 GMT)

Underwhelming, disappointing, pessimistic have been the watch-words of Europe's

third-quarter earnings season, and Morgan Stanley (Xetra: 885836 - news) strategists tease through what the numbers are

telling us about companies' shrinking margins, but argue this could be as bad as it gets for

analyst sentiment at least.

"As earnings season draws to a close, even though results have improved through the period,

we have still seen more EPS misses than beats for the first time in four years," MS strategists

note.

Results have been weakest for consumer discretionary and industrials, while energy and IT

have been strongest, they say.

Margin squeeze has been the main theme of this earnings season and it shows no signs of

calming down. Strong sales were met with "very modest" EPS beats with more companies citing cost

inflation for earnings misses this quarter. Mentions of "cost inflation" in company transcripts

have risen, MS says, citing data from Alphasense.

On the flipside this margin pressure could be part of what's helping Value stocks

outperform, MS argue, as they're less vulnerable to a de-rating.

Earnings revisions have hit a 2.5 year low - but this could be as bad as it gets, MS argue,

saying "we are now at the point in the quarter where earnings revisions tend to trough as

results season starts to quieten down."

For more on the margin squeeze facing companies and how that's played out in this earnings

season:

(Helen Reid)

*****

OPENING SNAPSHOT: EUROPEAN RALLY RUNS OUT OF STEAM .... AGAIN (0843 GMT)

This morning's recovery rally across European markets hit the skids after just 30 minutes of

trading, highlighting again the fragility of the gains amid lingering worries about Brexit,

Italy's budget crisis and expectations for a U.S. interest rate rise next month.

The FTSE 100 was the only market in positive territory boosted by a weaker sterling amid

renewed uncertainty over a smooth Brexit deal.

Pan-European shares turned lower as a crackdown in e-cigarettes in the United States

punished tobacco giant BATS, results pummeled Simcorp (LSE: 0QEK.L - news) and Swiss airport Flughafen Zuerich (LSE: 0QPA.L - news) tanked

after regulators flagged changes in transfer payments which would hurt its aviation revenues.

Here are the top stock and index moves:

WHAT'S ON THE RADAR: INFINEON (Xetra: 623100 - news) , SAP (Amsterdam: AP6.AS - news) , TOBACCO STOCKS AND STEEL (0750 GMT)

European shares are set to bounce back on Monday after a weak session on Friday, with Brexit

uncertainty weighing on the euro and sterling likely to help boost index levels.

Results are slowing down to a trickle as the third-quarter earnings season enters its fourth

week.

Chipmaker Infineon delivered some welcome good news for semiconductors which have been among

the worst hit by sell-offs in past weeks in the highly valued tech sector. Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) are seen

rising around 3 percent after the company guided for an acceleration in revenue growth in its

2018/19 business year.

Euronext (Euronext: ENX.LS - news) shares are indicated up 1 to 2 percent after strong Q3 profits thanks to its

acquisition of the Irish Stock Exchange and higher listings and trading volumes.

A deal by SAP to buy customer sentiment tracker Qualtrics for $8 billion is being met with

scepticism from traders. The shares are seen down 0.5 to 1.3 percent as the price paid is deemed

expensive.

Tobacco stocks British American Tobacco (Kuala Lumpur: 4162.KL - news) and Imperial Brands (LSE: IMB.L - news) could fall up to 5 percent,

traders say, after a Wall Street Journal report that an FDA Commissioner plans to pursue a ban

on menthol cigarettes.

Steelmakers could also be hit by Shanghai rebar steel prices falling to a 3 ½ month low on

worries over slowing demand in top consumer China.

(Helen Reid)

*****

FUTURES RISE AS EURO, STERLING FALL (0720 GMT)

Sharp (Swiss: SHA.SW - news) falls in the euro and sterling this morning on Brexit uncertainty are likely helping

boost euro zone and UK futures in early deals. FTSE 100 futures are in the lead with an 0.8

percent gain as the index's mainly exporting constituents gain from a weaker pound.

Headlines just coming in from former UK minister Justine Greening can't be helping. She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) says

PM May's possible Brexit deal will not pass in Parliament, and argues for a new referendum with

three choices: the current deal, leaving the EU on WTO rules, or staying.

Here's our latest update on the machinations within the governing Conservative party as May

hopes to whip up support for her Brexit deal:

Softly, softly for now, British PM May's enforcers gear up for big Brexit vote

And on the UK corporate front:

Babcock refutes anonymous report, says in healthy financial position

Diageo (LSE: DGE.L - news) to sell 19 brands to U.S.-based Sazerac for $550 mln

Kingspan expects FY trading profits to rise by 15 percent

(Helen Reid)

*****

HEADLINES ROUND-UP: SAP, AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN - news) , Infineon (0648 GMT)

Results are still coming in though at a slower pace than the past couple of weeks as the

third-quarter reporting season nears its end.

There's some good news this morning for the chipmaker sector - which has been hit by

concerns over the semiconductor cycle and tech generally - with German chipmaker Infineon

guiding for an acceleration in revenue growth in 2018/19.

Trial results from AstraZeneca's diabetes drug could move the stock today.

And there's also some M&A action with SAP agreeing to buy sentiment tracker Qualtrics for $8

billion.

Infineon guides for acceleration in revenue growth in 2018/19

AstraZeneca's diabetes drug curbs heart failure, kidney risks

SAP to buy customer sentiment tracker Qualtrics for $8 bln

Lanxess (IOB: 0H7I.IL - news) adj EBITDA up 1.5 pct on strong additives business

Euronext's Q3 core profit driven by Irish deal, higher listings

Italy's network plan turns up heat on Telecom Italia CEO - sources

(Helen Reid)

*****

EUROPEAN STOCKS TO BOUNCE (0629 GMT)

European shares are set to start the week on the front foot with gains at the open after

Friday's weak session.

Overnight, Asian shares drifted lower as signs of softening demand in China rekindled

anxiety about the outlook for world growth, but Saudi Arabia's plans to cut production helped to

halt a slide in oil prices.

Financial spreadbetters at IG (Frankfurt: A0EARV - news) expect London's FTSE to open 56 points higher at 7,161,

Frankfurt's DAX to open 71 points higher at 11,600 and Paris' CAC to open 25 points higher at

5,132.

(Helen Reid)

*****

(Reporting by Helen Reid, Julien Ponthus, and Danilo Masoni)