LIVE MARKETS-Midday update: European stocks off lows, but still down

* European stocks slip

* Carillion (Frankfurt: 924047 - news) suspended

* Metso (Amsterdam: MS6.AS - news) drops after profit warning

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Welcome to the home for real time coverage of European equity markets

brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Kit Rees. Reach her on

Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: kit.rees.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

MIDDAY UPDATE: EUROPEAN STOCKS OFF LOWS, BUT STILL DOWN (1219 GMT)

Halfway through the session and European shares may be off their lows, but are still stuck

in negative territory.

If you look at how the STOXX sectors have performed since the beginning of 2018, energy,

basic materials, financials and industrials are the only sectors to have outperformed the STOXX

600's 2.2 percent rise.

And those are the sectors which are taking the most points off the STOXX today (health care

is down too), so there's probably some profit-taking going on.

Here's your midday snapshot:

(Kit Rees)

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US TAX CUTS TO PROVIDE USEFUL BOOST TO EUROPEAN AUTOS (1202 GMT)

It's a quiet day across markets but looking at year-to-date performances, autos

stand out: up 7.8 percent. M&A bets have played a role but also optimism about the sector's

prospects for 2018. In this regard, a note from JP Morgan today adds detail on what could be the

benefits from the U.S. tax reform, which they say are not irrelevant.

The bottom line is that European autos could improve their 2018 EPS by 4 percent with Fiat (Hanover: FIA1.HA - news)

Chrysler (Xetra: 710000 - news) benefiting the most given that more than 80 percent of its profits are

sources in NAFTA. Michelin (Paris: FR0000121261 - news) , Daimler (IOB: 0NXX.IL - news) and Continental (IOB: 0LQ1.IL - news) are seen as

winners too.

"It would be easy to dismiss the 40% reduction in the US corporate tax rate as being largely

irrelevant to European companies... From a macro perspective lower taxes should spark higher

corporate spending (that presumably was the point) and from a stock-specific perspective we see

an average 2018E EPS potential uplift of 4% across our Europeans autos coverage."

(Danilo Masoni)

MIFID II? IT'S GRIM (IF YOU'RE AN ASSET MANAGER) (1055)

European financial services are slightly outperforming today, helped by gains in Azimut (Milan: AZM.MI - news)

which doubled its dividend and TP Icap following an upgrade at Liberum. Yet

the sector, which is trading near the all-time peak hit in 2007 before the global financial

crisis, could face headwinds from Mifid II.

"The introduction of MiFID II will put pressure on asset managers' profits by lowering their

effective fee rate and increasing their costs," Moody's writes today, saying the new EU rules

will have a negative impact on the credit rating of the industry.

Nothing really new here but the note rubs in unpleasant facts such as that it will be harder

for active asset managers to compete against EFTs and that change (such as M&A and cost saving)

is vital for the industry in a brave new Midid II world.

(Julien Ponthus)

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CARILLION PEERS RISE (0938 GMT)

Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in UK's Carillion are suspended, and in terms of sector fallout it's interesting to

note that peers Interserve (Frankfurt: 860509 - news) and Serco in the business support services sector are

up 1.9 percent and 4.6 percent respectively.

Also Kier Group, which has a JV with Carillion on HS2 and the smart motorways

programme, has said it does not expect to see an adverse financial impact from these JV

contracts.

Kier's shares are up 1.4 percent at a session high.

Some analysts are not expecting a big impact on the sector, though.

"The impact will likely be small given the fragmented nature of the market," analysts at UBS

say in a note.

"There is some risk of financial losses in joint ventures as well as the potential adverse

financial impact on the supply chain which may impact others in the sector."

(Kit Rees)

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EUROPEAN SNAPSHOT: EUROPE DIPS (0838 GMT)

European shares are lower and don't seem set to join the global rally which has led Asian

shares to hit historic highs on Monday after Wall Street extended its record-breaking run.

Here are Europe's main indexes after the open:

(Julien Ponthus)

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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING AHEAD OF THE OPEN (0752 GMT)

European stocks futures are pointing to a slightly higher open, following on from a subdued

session in Asia while oil prices could weigh as they pull away from $70 a barrel.

While it’s a quiet day in terms of company results, construction stocks will be in focus

after Carillion collapsed after banks refused to lend it any more money.

Elsewhere retailers will be in focus after an update from Metro (Dusseldorf: 62M.DU - news) , while autos will also be

ones to watch as the Detroit Auto Show gets under way.

(Kit Rees)

*****

Here are the headlines catching our eye:

Britain's Carillion collapses as banks refuse to lend it any more money

Aker BP (LSE: 0M5J.L - news) to raise dividends for 2018 by $100 mln, further increase ahead

Metro Christmas sales solid in Germany, down in Russia

LVMH watch, jewellery sales up more than 10 pct in 2017

British bookmaker sees 2017 profit beating estimates

Melrose (LSE: 136541.L - news) looks to win over GKN (Frankfurt: 694194 - news) shareholders after spurned 7 bln stg bid

VW brand car sales hit record 6.23 mln in 2017

Virtual becomes reality as British shop visits fall in December

Airbus in talks on 70-80 mln euro deal to end German probe -paper

(Kit Rees)

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EUROPEAN STOCKS FUTURES NUDGE HIGHER (0708 GMT)

European stocks futures have opened slightly higher, with FTSE futures flat as Brent crude

oil prices dip under $70 a barrel.

Here's a snapshot:

(Kit Rees)

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EUROPEAN RETAILERS, AUTOS IN FOCUS (0656 GMT)

Today should be fairly quiet on the company news front, though retailers will once again be

in focus as online luxury retailer Yoox-Net (LSE: 0LN0.L - news) -a-Porter is due to give a sales update and

H&M's

sales for the Christmas quarter.

Also on the agenda we've got Rio Tinto (Hanover: CRA1.HA - news) giving an update on Q4 sales and Renault (LSE: 0NQF.L - news) 's

full year sales.

On the subject of autos, the sector is going to be in focus as the North American

International Auto Show in Detroit gets under way, where carmakers will be unveiling new and

redesigned concept vehicles.

One stock under scrutiny will be Carillion, which has just said that the company is

to enter into compulsory liquidation with immediate effect as discussions were not successful.

(Kit Rees)

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EUROPEAN SHARES SEEN OPENING HIGHER (0629 GMT)

Good morning.

We hope you had a lovely weekend. Financial spreadbetters see European shares rising

broadly, with Germany's DAX expected to gain 36 points, Britain's FTSE 100 to

climb 10 points and France's CAC up 9 points.

Equity markets marched higher overnight in Asia, with China's blue chip stocks hitting a

30-month high, while Wall St ended Friday's session at record closing highs.

So it looks like we're going to possibly see a new record for the FTSE, while the STOXX

holds at its highest levels since August 2015.

(Kit Rees)

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