LIVE MARKETS-European stock futures make gains

April 23 - 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

EUROPEAN STOCK FUTURES MAKE GAINS (0608 GMT)

Futures for the major benchmarks have opened higher at the start of a heavy week of

earnings. There's been much anticipation of this first-quarter earnings season amid hope it

could shake stock markets out of their more cautious mood.

Futures are trading up 0.1 to 0.2 percent.

In other interesting corporate news, Franco-Dutch security firm Gemalto (LSE: 0OGA.L - news) said its

contract to make the post-Brexit British passport - which has caused controversy in the UK -

would create new jobs in the UK.

Gemalto says post-Brexit UK passport contract will create jobs, protect data

And some M&A news over the weekend: Canadian gaming company Stars Group agreed to buy Sky (Amsterdam: BK8.AS - news)

Bet from CVC Capital Partners and Sky Plc (Frankfurt: 893517 - news) in a deal worth $4.7 billion.

Canada's Stars Group snaps up Sky Bet for $4.7 billion

EARNINGS GALORE (0547 GMT)

Of the many large-cap names reporting this week, analysts have said European banks will be

particularly in focus for any signs of strain from a slowing macroeconomic picture.

Switzerland's biggest bank UBS (LSE: 0QNR.L - news) today kicked things off with pretty encouraging results, boosted

by higher income from its investment bank as global market volatility picked up.

Today's the start of a three-day state visit of French President Macron to the White House,

where he and Trump will discuss Iran and trade among other issues where U.S. and European views

diverge. We'll be looking out for any interesting outcomes of the meeting.

Here are some more headlines of corporate news so far:

UBS boosts Q1 earnings thanks to strong investment bank

Fresenius (Swiss: FRE-EUR.SW - news) pulls out of Akorn (NasdaqGS: AKRX - news) takeover over data integrity

Philips Q1 core profit beats estimates with 15 pct rise

Fresenius Medical cuts 2018 sales target after drug dosage shift

Fresenius Medical sells U.S. Sound Inpatient for $2.15 bln

Whitbread (Frankfurt: WHF4.F - news) boss believes Costa Coffee split inevitable - report

Air France (Paris: FR0000031122 - news) says 25 pct of flights will be cancelled on Monday

U.S. sanctions on Vekselberg have $1.5-$2 bln assets frozen -sources

MORNING CALL: EUROPE SEEN RISING AS HEAVY EARNINGS WEEK BEGINS(0533 GMT)

European shares are set to make gains this morning despite anxiety in Asian trading

overnight ahead of a busy week for earnings. This week is the busiest for both S&P 500 and STOXX

600 results, with most of the markets' biggest companies reporting.

Stocks in Asia sputtered as investors awaited a heavy week of earnings, while U.S. bond

yields rose to near peaks that have triggered market spasms in the past.

But spreadbetters' calls indicate Europe could open higher. The DAX is seen 21 points higher

at 12,561, the CAC 40 up 9 points at 5,422, and the FTSE 100 8 points higher at 7,376. Last week

European and UK shares had their fourth straight week of gains, in a sign of increasing

confidence in equity markets.

(Helen Reid)

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