LIVE MARKETS-Futures dip after China data, as Brexit Plan B awaited
* European stocks futures down
* China Q4 GDP growth in line at 6.4%
* Overall 2018 growth slowest since 1990
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FUTURES DIP AFTER CHINA DATA, AS BREXIT PLAN B AWAITED (0718 GMT)
Despite spreadbetters' calls for gains, European futures have opened down 0.1 to 0.3
percent, indicating a fall after China's fourth-quarter growth data showed 2018 was its slowest
year in 28 years.
Traders and investors will also be looking ahead to the next development on the Brexit front
with Prime Minister Theresa May set to present her plan B to parliament after her deal got
soundly defeated last week.
"Plan B to look suspiciously like Plan A," Societe Generale (Swiss: 519928.SW - news) economists write. "We are rather
puzzled about what changes she intends to present... Presumably the debate on her plans in the
days that follow will discuss alternatives to her negotiated deal."
In UK company news:
William Hill (Frankfurt: 633847 - news) sees lower 2018 adjusted operating profit
UK's Just Eat CEO Peter Plumb steps down
GSK Chairman Hampton to step down
Meggitt (Other OTC: MEGGF - news) signs 750 mln pound contract with engine maker Pratt & Whitney
Patisserie Still In Discussions With Bankers To Extend Standstill Of Bank Facilities
(Helen Reid)
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HEADLINES TO WATCH: ALSTOM (LSE: 0J2R.L - news) -SIEMENS (BSE: SIEMENS.BO - news) , PROSIEBEN, CASINO (0655 GMT)
With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) results starting to come in thick and fast this week, there's also a lot of corporate
news to keep traders busy, despite today being slightly thinner due to U.S. markets being closed
for Martin Luther King day.
EU antitrust regulators are to throw a spanner in the works for Siemens and Alstom's plan to
create a European rail champion, sources said, despite Germany and France backing the deal.
Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in ProSiebenSat. 1 Media could be moved by the firm's CEO Max Conze saying he saw
price increases by U.S. streaming giant Netflix (Xetra: 552484 - news) as potentially easing competitive pressure on
the group's core TV business.
In retail, further evidence of the drive for supermarkets to cut down on physical stores as
France's Casino sells six stores to rival Leclerc.
And potentially bad news for pricing power among British energy suppliers as data shows a
record number of customers switched supplier in 2018.
Nissan's Ghosn offers to wear electronic ankle tag for bail
Nissan, Renault (LSE: 0NQF.L - news) not ready to discuss new capital ties - Saikawa
ProSieben sees pressure easing as Netflix raises prices
Western Australia claims BHP owes up to $215 mln in underpaid iron ore royalties
Supermarket retailer Casino to sell six stores to rival Leclerc
EU to derail Siemens, Alstom's European champion plan - sources
Record (LSE: REC.L - news) number of British energy customers switched supplier in 2018 - data
Engie (LSE: 0LD0.L - news) set to sell some coal power plants to Riverstone -Les Echos
Italy regulator gives TIM's network separation plan thumbs down
(Helen Reid)
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EUROPEAN STOCKS TO SHAKE OFF WEAK CHINA GROWTH DATA (0616 GMT)
European shares are seen rising modestly this morning after Asian markets held on to gains
despite data showing China's economy cooled in the fourth quarter, dragging 2018 growth to the
lowest in 28 years (at 6.6 percent) and pressuring Beijing to roll out more stimulus.
Asian markets kept their nerve on Monday as data showed the Chinese economy slowed at the
end of last year, underlining the urgent need for more stimulus as Beijing wrestles with the
United States over trade.
The world's second-largest economy grew 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter from a year
earlier, as had been expected and matching levels last seen in early 2009 during the global
financial crisis.
Yet there were some bright spots with industrial output rising a surprisingly strong 5.7
percent, while retail sales rose 8.2 percent in December, from a year earlier.
Financial spreadbetters expect London's FTSE to open 15 points higher at 6,984, Frankfurt's
DAX to open 14 points higher at 11,220 and Paris' CAC to open 10 points lower at 4,866.
(Helen Reid)
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(Reporting by Helen Reid, Danilo Masoni, Julien Ponthus)