LIVE MARKETS-Futures down amid yet more dealmaking

May 15 - 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 DOWN AMID YET MORE DEALMAKING (0611 GMT)

As expected, European stock futures are trading down 0.2 to 0.3 percent, indicating a weaker

open. It's pretty busy on the corporate front however with dealmaking once again in the

spotlight.

Yet more M&A as French payments firm Worldline announces it will buy the payments unit of

Swiss stock exchange operator SIX Group - ending a long period of speculation over who the

acquirer would be, and adding to a flurry of consolidation deals in the payments industry.

Here's the story: French payments firm Worldline to buy SIX Payment Services for $2.75 bln

And in other deal news sources told us, after yesterday's close, that China Three Gorges'

bid for Portugal's EDP was a pre-emptive strike against rival bidders. EDP's board says the CTG

bid price doesn't reflect the energy firm's value. Here's the link:

Earnings reports are flowing in from Pandora (LSE: 0NQC.L - news) , Engie (LSE: 0LD0.L - news) , Nordex (EUREX: 2083267.EX - news) , as well as Europe's largest

copper smelter Aurubis (IOB: 0K7F.IL - news) :

Metro (Dusseldorf: 62M.DU - news) says has taken steps to restore growth in Russia

Sika (IOB: 0QMA.IL - news) to issue 1.5 bln Sfr in bonds to buy own shares from Saint-Gobain

Nordex posts Q1 results below expectations

Jewellery maker Pandora Q1 lags forecast, flags Chinese slowdown

Statoil (LSE: 0M2Z.L - news) to become Equinor, dropping "oil" to attract young talent

Aurubis expects continued strong copper market, confirms outlook

Utility Engie's Q1 earnings rise 3 pct

(Helen Reid)

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EARLY MORNING RESULTS ROUND-UP (0531 GMT)

It's another busy day of earnings with French bank Credit Agricole (Swiss: ACA.SW - news) and German steelmaker

Thyssenkrupp (IOB: 0O1C.IL - news) among those reporting. Here are some of the biggest corporate headlines:

Thyssenkrupp Q2 operating profit up on steel recovery

Merck KGaA Q1 earnings down on liquid crystals, currencies

Car (HKSE: 0699-OL.HK - news) parts group Faurecia (Swiss: EO.SW - news) targets steady rise in sales from 2020

Credit Agricole profit just below estimates on weak retail, capital markets

RWE Q1 profit drops on weaker wholesale prices

Commerzbank (Xetra: CBK100 - news) first-quarter pretax profit drops on higher costs

Eutelsat (Paris: FR0010221234 - news) says could fall short of full-year revenue target

Allianz Q1 profit up 6.8 percent, better than expected

(Helen Reid)

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MORNING CALL: HEADED FOR A WEAKER OPEN (0518 GMT)

European stocks are called to open slightly lower today after a downward turn in Asian

trading overnight, with investors saying the market is taking a breather after the recent surge.

They're still eyeing a range of political and economic risks with U.S.-China trade talks

ongoing.

The biggest developing political story in Europe, Italy's government-forming process,

stalled yesterday as the 5-Star and League parties won more time to put together a government.

On the macro front, UK wages data will be closely watched at 0830 GMT, while German GDP

figures at 0600 GMT should also provide more of a read on the health of the euro zone's

industrial engine.

Spreadbetters expect London's FTSE to open 16 points lower at 7,695, Frankfurt's DAX to open

18 points lower at 12,977.71 and Paris' CAC to open 13 point lower at 5,528.

(Helen Reid)

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