LIVE MARKETS-What you need to know before the open

* European futures open lower

* S&P 500 hits 14-month low on growth worries ahead of Fed

* Xi Jinping's speech 'barely caused a ripple'

* Eyes on Deutsche Telekom (IOB: 0MPH.IL - news) , Ericsson (Hanover: ERCB.HA - news) , Shell (LSE: RDSB.L - news) , Cherry

Dec (Shanghai: 600875.SS - news) 18 - Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to

you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Danilo Masoni. Reach him on Messenger to

share your thoughts on market moves: danilo.masoni.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE THE OPEN (0757 GMT)

European shares look set to test the two-year lows hit earlier this month with index futures

pointing to declines of around 0.5-0.8 percent following another sell-off on Wall Street that

sent the S&P 500 to 14-month lows, as worries over slowing economic growth mount.

As we mentioned, eyes will be on Deutsche Telekom after its US unit T-Mobile and

Sprint won backing from two U.S. national security reviews for their $26 billion merger, a

go-ahead that comes after indications that both groups had offered to stop using Huawei

equipment.

Speaking about the global battle to supply new equipment for telecoms network upgrades, a

report from the Times of India saying Huawei will be allowed to enter 5G trials in the country

is set to weigh on Ericsson and Nokia (Milan: 23568.MI - news) shares (both down 1 percent in

pre-market).

Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: 0LN9.L - news) are seen opening down 1-2 percent after Bloomberg

reported that the oil major is in talks to buy Endeavor Energy Resources for about $8 billion.

Still in M&A, shares in Swedish gaming company Cherry are seen shooting up 20

percent after a $1 billion cash takeover offer from a consortium led by British private equity

firm Bridgepoint.

For other stock moving headlines, check out the previous post.

(Danilo Masoni)

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STOCK FUTURES OPEN LOWER, EYES ON DEUTSCHE TELEKOM, SHELL (0724 GMT)

European stock futures have opened firmly in the red following the big sell-off on Wall

Street that further reinforces expectations that we're not going to have a Santa rally this

year. Futures on the DAX, CAC and FTSE were all trading down 0.5-0.8 percent.

On the corporate front, eyes will be on Deutsche Telekom after its U.S. unit T-Mobile

and Sprint won backing from two U.S. national security reviews for their $26

billion merger.

Traders say Shell will be another one to watch after Bloomberg reported that the oil major

is in talks to buy Endeavor Energy Resources for about $8 billion. https://bloom.bg/2S7RgYm

Here's how European stock futures looked at the open and below some possible market-moving

headlines:

Deutsche Telekom US unit T-Mobile, Sprint win U.S. security approvals for merger

Siemens (BSE: SIEMENS.BO - news) , Alstom (LSE: 0J2R.L - news) offer to sell high-speed train technology - sources

Airbus to boost some pay as Macron urges French firms to tackle crisis

UK markets watchdog overhauls how banks charge for overdrafts

Eiffage (LSE: 0NPT.L - news) announces acquisition of 5.03 percent of Eurotunnel (Paris: FR0010533075 - news)

StanChart (HKSE: 2888-OL.HK - news) 's HK stock falls on sale of private equity division

EU agrees deal to cut greenhouse emissions from cars

Autogrill (Milan: AGL.MI - news) ready to look at value creating options

(Danilo Masoni)

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EUROPEAN STOCKS SEEN DRAGGED BY U.S. SELL-OFF, EYES ON FED (0632 GMT)

European shares are set to open lower this morning after the S&P 500 hit its lowest level in

14 months on concerns over slowing economic growth, dragging Asian markets into the red.

A speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping which investors had hoped could lift

the morale "barely caused a ripple in the stormy sea of red" (to use the words of Stephen Innes,

head of trading APAC at OANDA) and now the focus turns inevitably to the Federal Reserve which

is almost certain to raise interest rates at the end of its two-day meeting on Wednesday.

"... the big question remains, will Jay Powell remove or include the "gradual increases"

reference to the 2019 dot plots," adds Innes.

And here's Trump's latest tweet on the issue: "It is incredible that with a very strong

dollar and virtually no inflation, the outside world blowing up around us, Paris is burning and

China way down, the Fed is even considering yet another interest rate hike. Take the Victory!"

Financial spreadbetters at IG (Frankfurt: A0EARV - news) expect London's FTSE to open 36 points lower at 6738,

Frankfurt's DAX to open 33 points lower at 10739 and Paris' CAC to open 20 points lower at 4780.

(Danilo Masoni)

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(Reporting by Danilo Masoni)