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LIVE MARKETS-Futures point to strong start for European stocks

June 4 - 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 POINT TO STRONG START FOR EUROPEAN STOCKS (0617 GMT)

Futures have opened strongly higher across European benchmarks, with gains of 0.3 to 0.5

percent indicating Friday's jump will be extended today.

A handful more stories to look at ahead of the open:

Fingerprint Cards (LSE: 0RGY.L - news) announces new cost cuts amid weak market, price pressure

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UPDATE 2-British discount retailer Poundworld nears rescue - Sky News

ANALYSIS-Facing a referendum on money, Swiss traders look for hedges

Here's your snapshot:

(Helen Reid)

*****

TRADE WAR: NO LONGER ON HOLD? (0555)

"Global trade protectionism concerns are likely to linger this week as the EU raises a

complaint to the WTO and considers the scale of retaliatory measures to last week's US tariffs

on steel and aluminium," write Societe Generale (Swiss: 519928.SW - news) analysts.

There are also signs of strain in NAFTA negotiations and U.S.-China trade relations.

"We do not expect trade policy risks to fade anytime soon," writes Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS-PB - news) . "Following

trade announcements over the last few days, the trade war does not appear to be "on hold" but

simply "on".

Finance leaders of the closest U.S. allies issued a statement on Saturday (Shenzhen: 002291.SZ - news) expressing their

"unanimous concern and disappointment" about steel tariffs to President Trump - making this

weekend's G7 meeting likely to be fractious.

(Helen Reid)

*****

BANK MERGER MADNESS (0541 GMT)

There's lots of dealmaking news in the financial sector to keep traders and investors busy

this morning.

Unicredit (EUREX: DE000A163206.EX - news) is exploring a merger with Societe Generale, the FT reported yesterday. If this

develops it could mark the first in a series of cross-border deals among Europe's big

banks.

And in the UK, lender CYBG (Frankfurt: 42YA.F - news) is getting nearer to clinching a deal to take over challenger

bank Virgin Money. It raised its offer for Virgin by 7 percent yesterday, having initially made

an all-share takeover proposal in early May valuing it at about 1.6 billion pounds.

Here are a few more headlines likely to drive trading today:

Bayer (IOB: 0P6S.IL - news) launches $7 billion cash call to fund Monsanto (Hamburg: 1132157.HM - news) deal

Roche drugs show limited benefit in lung, breast cancer trials

BHP process to unload U.S. shale operations could take until 2019

AccorHotels looks at taking stake in Air France KLM

INTERVIEW-Airbus chief says automation to revamp jet manufacturing, help meet demand

INTERVIEW-Lufthansa (Xetra: LHAB.DE - news) eyes another record summer, but sticks to profit target

(Helen Reid)

*****

MORNING CALL: EUROPEAN SHARES TO RISE AS JOBS DATA TRUMPS TRADE WAR WORRIES (0524 GMT)

European shares are set to make further gains at the open, taking their cue from trading in

Asia which saw stock markets climb in relief over U.S. jobs data which showed unemployment at an

18-year low.

This week investors will be looking ahead to the G7 on Friday and Saturday in Quebec, where

discussions between member states will focus on trade relations. It'll also be the first

international event for Italy's new populist government.

Asian shares rose to their highest level in two-and-a-half-weeks on Monday as strong U.S.

jobs data offset worries that tariff wars between the United States and the rest of the world

could drag on global economic growth.

Spreadbetters call the DAX 44 points higher at 12,768, the CAC 40 up 19 points at 5,485, and

the FTSE 100 22 points higher at 7,723.

(Helen Reid)

*****

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