LIVE MARKETS-Europe resilient again

(Correcting Reuters identity code for BAIC)

May 13 - Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Josephine Mason. Reach her on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: josephine.mason.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

EUROPE RESILIENT AGAIN (0656 GMT)

European stocks are proving pretty resilient to the cautious tone that's swept Asian markets overnight as a stand-off between Washington and Beijing over a truce to end their protracted row keeps investors firmly on the sidelines.

The Eurostoxx 50 is up 0.1%, with Paris futures up as much as 0.3 percent. There might be some residual buying left over from Friday after Wall Street's strong close, which might soon peter out as U.S. stock futures are indicating a weaker open.

In corporate news, Daimler's catching most of the attention after Reuters reported China's BAIC Group is seeking to buy a stake of up to 5% in Daimler. BAIC has started acquiring Daimler shares on the open market, one source said. Shares are up 1.1% in pre-market.

Norway's given the green light for Euronext to take a majority stake in Oslo Bors, ending a five-month battle between Euronext and Nasdaq for ownership of the Norwegian stock market operator, while Fresenius has approached potential suitors about the sale of its blood transfusion business as the German healthcare group considers divesting non-core businesses.

Eyes still on Thyssenkrupp after its decision on Friday to spin off its elevators business sent shares soaring - the company said it will still seek partners for its steel operations after abandoning a European merger with India's Tata Steel.

Results flow has slowed this morning, although German and UK utilities E.ON and Centrica are on the slate.

E.ON delivered better than expected Q1 EBIT, sending its shares up 1 percent in early trade, although one dealer said a slowdown in the retail business as a negative.

Britain's largest energy supplier Centrica said it is facing a challenging trading environment due to a national price cap on energy bills, warmer-than-normal weather and falling UK natural gas prices.

Metro Bank is back in focus after a series of reports over the weekend - the FT said the troubled lender is exploring the sale of loans hit by its accounting error while the Telegraph says an influential City advisory group has hit the bank with an alert over bonuses for its top execs.

Big moves seen in FTSE mid and small-caps: shares in polymer maker Victrex are seen falling 5 percent after half-year results, with the company saying it will be "challenging" to achieve year-on-year growth in the second half while Dignity reported a worse-than-expected slump in profits due to a drop in funerals.

(Josephine Mason)

ON THE RADAR: DAIMLER, NOVARTIS AND EURONEXT (0613 GMT)

It's a bit of a mixed bag with the Eurostoxx 50 fluctuating between positive and negative territory, with Paris showing decent gains and Frankfurt under pressure, amid overall caution over the U.S.-China trade talks.

In corporate news, there's a flurry of dealmaking news to kick off the week - the biggest is probably a Reuters report that China's BAIC Group is seeking to buy a stake of up to 5% in Daimler. BAIC has started acquiring Daimler shares on the open market, one source said.

Norway will allow Euronext to take a majority stake in Oslo Bors, the country's finance ministry said on Monday, ending a five-month battle between Euronext and Nasdaq for ownership of the Norwegian stock market operator.

And Fresenius has approached potential suitors about the sale of its blood transfusion business as the German healthcare group considers divesting non-core businesses.

Elsewhere in pharma, Novartis' Sandoz division has been named along with 19 others in a U.S. lawsuit alleging they inflated drug prices and stifled competition for generic drugs, state prosecutors said.

The Swiss drugmaker has also issued a voluntary nationwide U.S. recall of its ninth-best-selling medicine, Promacta, in its 12.5 milligram for oral suspension form, due to potential peanut contamination. Promacta had $1.2 billion in sales in 2018.

Eyes still on Thyssenkrupp after its decision to spin off its elevators business - the company will still seek partners for its steel operations after abandoning a European merger with India's Tata Steel, Chief Executive Guido Kerkhoff said.

In earnings, German energy firm E.ON has reported Q1 EBIT declined 8% to 1.67 billion euros, beating the 1.64 billion average forecast in a Reuters poll.

Metro Bank may get a lift after confirming its plan to raise about 350 million pounds ($455 million) of equity capital to support its growth is well advanced.

Here are some of the key headlines so far this morning:

Germany's Thyssenkrupp to seek new steel partners, CEO tells paper

Bayer hires law firm to investigate Monsanto stakeholder file issue

EXCLUSIVE-China's BAIC seeks to buy 5 percent Daimler stake -sources

EssilorLuxottica's feuding partners on verge of peace deal -Les Echos

Britain's Stobart to name new chairman this week - Sky News

Britain's Metro Bank says well advanced in equity raising plan

EXCLUSIVE-Novartis pitches discounts on pricey gene therapy for deadly muscle

LVMH pairs up with Rihanna for new fashion brand

EU regulators to investigate Telia's $957 mln bid for Bonnier

Fresenius talking to potential suitors about sale of blood transfusion business - sources

Retailer Carrefour's Atacadao arm to book provisions on Brazilian tax dispute

(Josephine Mason)

*****

EUROPE SEEN MAKING TENTATIVE GAINS BUT FOR HOW LONG?

Spreadbetters are calling European stocks higher with some hangover from Friday's strong close on Wall Street providing a little lift, but given how cautious trading has been overnight and with U.S.-China trade talks in stalemate, there might not be much momentum behind it to keep it going.

IG Markets expects London's FTSE to open 18 points higher at 7,221, Frankfurt's DAX to open 31 points higher at 12,091, and Paris' CAC to open 21 points higher at 5,348.

(Josephine Mason)

***** (Reporting by Danilo Masoni, Helen Reid, Josephine Mason and Thyagaraju Adinarayan)