LIVE MARKETS-Making headlines: Infineon capital raise, Tieto-Evry merger, Swedbank, Airbus

June 18 - 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

MAKING HEADLINES: INFINEON CAPITAL RAISE, TIETO-EVRY MERGER, SWEDBANK, AIRBUS (0548 GMT)

Shares in German chipmaker Infineon are down 3.8% in premarket trading after it launched a 1.5 billion euro capital increase to help fund its acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor.

Also yesterday evening, Sweden's oldest bank Swedbank said it had suspended the CEO and CFO of its Estonian business with immediate effect, after an investigation into compliance with money-laundering rules at the bank. The stock, which has already lost 33% in just 4 months, could be bruised again by this today.

In M&A news, Finnish IT services and consulting firm Tieto announced plans to merge with Norway's Evry. The deal terms value Evry at 35.48 Norwegian krone per share - a 15.4% premium to the stock's closing price.

Dutch fund administration firm Intertrust acquired U.S. financial services technology firm Viteos for $300 million.

Spanish utility Iberdrola announced plans to launch an Irish retail business, and invest more than 100 million euros in renewable energy and storage projects in Ireland and Northern Ireland by 2025.

And Airbus won long-term lease placements for two new aircraft from Air Lease Corporation, with sources telling us leasing giant GECAS is also in talks to place an order for the newly launched Airbus A321XLR.

Here's the news on our radar:

Infineon launches 1.5 bln euro capital hike to help fund Cypress deal

Iberdrola to launch Irish retail arm, invest $112 mln in renewables by 2025

Swedbank suspends CEO, CFO of Estonian unit

Banks to include CO2 emission measures in shipping loan decisions

Tieto And EVRY To Merge

Intertrust Acquires Viteos For USD 330 Million

Ipsen Initiates Share Buyback Program To Cover Its New Free Share Allocation Plan

Dassault Systemes raises funds for healthcare software firm BioSerenity

French drugmaker Sanofi, Google to use data tech for innovations

Air Lease signs long-term lease placements for four Airbus jets

GECAS close to ordering Airbus A321XLR -sources

(Helen Reid)

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EUROPEAN STOCKS SET FOR UNCERTAIN OPEN AS MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS, FED EYED (0529 GMT)

European stocks are seen opening mixed this morning, with the DAX expected to fall while the FTSE 100 makes slight gains.

Rising tensions in the Middle East - as the U.S. announces the deployment of about 1,000 more troops, citing concerns about a threat from Iran - could be making investors nervy, while anticipation ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting is also holding them back from decisive action.

Investor caution ahead of the Fed's interest rate meeting capped Asian stocks overnight while crude oil prices retreated as global growth worries overshadowed supply concerns stemming from recent Middle East tensions.

Financial spreadbetters at IG expect London's FTSE to open 12 points higher at 7,369, Frankfurt's DAX to open 16 points down at 12,069, and Paris' CAC to open 3 points lower at 5,388.

(Helen Reid)

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(Reporting by Helen Reid, Danilo Masoni, Josephine Mason and Thyagaraju Adinarayan)