LIVE MARKETS-Futures decline as weaker China data weighs
* European stocks futures edge lower
* Asian shares decline on soft China data
LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - 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
FUTURES DECLINE AS WEAKER CHINA DATA WEIGHS (0618 GMT)
Futures are flat to 0.2 percent lower across the major European benchmarks as weaker Chinese
GDP data takes its toll on markets.
"With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) trade tensions still at the forefront of investor concerns, the economic data from
China assume an even greater level of importance than usual," writes Ian Williams, economics and
strategy research analyst at Peel Hunt.
In the UK, a parliamentary debate over Brexit will be a focus for markets as discord in the
leading Conservative party continues after two high-profile government resignations last week.
(Helen Reid)
*****
EARLY MORNING HEADLINE ROUND-UP (0552 GMT)
Among the morning news to watch today, reported merger talks between Thyssenkrupp (IOB: 0O1C.IL - news) and Kone
owners, results from Dialog Semiconductor (LSE: 0OLN.L - news) and Indivior (Frankfurt: 2IVA.F - news) winning an injunction against generic
rival Dr Reddy's.
In what Societe Generale (Swiss: 519928.SW - news) analysts call a "mainly political week", investors will also be
keenly watching today's meeting between top European Union officials and the Chinese Premier on
trade, and the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki.
Here's your headline sweep:
Britain unveils "short and sharper" code for companies
Planemakers to kickstart Farnborough jetliner order battle
Thyssen and Kone (LSE: 0II2.L - news) owners held merger talks on elevator ops -paper
UK car insurance premiums see biggest annual fall since 2014-survey
German transport ministry confirms official hearing on Opel emissions
Ryanair flight loses cabin pressure, 33 hospitalised - German police
Indivior wins preliminary injunction against generic rival
Germany's Knorr Bremse to decide on IPO in September - Boersen-Zeitung
Norway oil, gas union widens six-day drilling rig strike
Dialog Semiconductor Eyes Higher-Than-Expected Q2 Profitability
Cassiopea Announces Positive Interim Analysis Phase 2 Results For Breezula
(Helen Reid)
*****
MORNING CALL: HESITANT OPEN FOR EUROPE AFTER ASIAN STOCKS DECLINE (5GMT)
European shares are in for a hesitant start to the week after Asian markets were hit by
weaker Chinese GDP growth figures, piling further pressure on to equities already weighed by the
Sino (Dusseldorf: 1205802.DU - news) -U.S. trade dispute.
Official data showed China's economy grew 6.7 percent in the second quarter of 2018, cooling
from the 6.8 percent growth registered in each of the previous three quarters, driving a 0.5
percent dip in Shanghai stocks.
After their second straight week of gains, it'll be interesting to see whether European
stocks can hold up this week as the earnings season kicks off in earnest with investors' eyes
peeled for any trade war impact on companies.
Spreadbetters call the DAX 12 to 13 points higher at 12,562, the CAC 40 up 11 points at
5,440, and the FTSE 100 10 points lower at 7,659.
(Helen Reid)
*****
(Reporting by Danilo Masoni, Helen Reid, Kit Rees and Julien Ponthus)