LIVE MARKETS-Morning snapshot: Inmarsat, Apple suppliers in the spotlight

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

MORNING SNAPSHOT: INMARSAT (Other OTC: IMASF - news) , APPLE SUPPLIERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT (0753 GMT)

It's a strong start to European trading with the STOXX at its highest since Feb 5, boosted

by basic resource stocks (after strong factory data from China) and tech after Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) 's results

with iPhone sales coming in better than expected.

Apple's Germany-listed shares are up 5.9 percent in early deals, while iPhone supplier ams

is up 7.7 percent, with other chipmakers STMicro, Infineon (Xetra: 623100 - news) , BE Semiconductor, up 2.8 to 3.6

percent.

Inmarsat is also shooting up 10.2 percent after its revenues rose, and Lundin Petroleum (LSE: 0NNR.L - news) is

getting a 4.1 percent boost from strong results, continuing the trend among oil companies.

Energy stocks are providing the main boost to earnings, Deutsche Bank (IOB: 0H7D.IL - news) strategists say.

(Helen Reid)

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WHAT'S ON THE RADAR FOR THE EUROPEAN OPEN (0644 GMT)

Futures are pointing to a slightly positive open but nothing extravagant really despite

Apple’s strong results. One pre-market indication sees ams and the Apple supply chain rising on

these results.

The earnings season is still on in Europe and we have possible movers in a broad range of

sectors today:

Standard Chartered (BSE: 580001.BO - news) posted a better-than-expected 20 percent rise in pretax profit. Still in

the banking sector RBS’s job cuts and closure of branches could also have an impact. At

Barclays (LSE: BARC.L - news) , the chairman said he was not leaving the bank and that shareholders are backing the

CEO under a misconduct enquiry.

In the pharmaceutical sector, Denmark's Novo Nordisk (LSE: 0QIU.L - news) reported a posted first-quarter

operating profit above expectations and lifted the lower end of its 2018 sales and profit

outlook. Its shares are indicated up 2 to 3 percent.

In the luxury sector: Hugo Boss (IOB: 0Q8F.IL - news) strong sales growth in china and the US

In retail, watch for Ocado which signed a partnership deal with Sweden’s ICA, past deals

like this triggered sharp price moves and the shares are indicated up 2 to 5 percent in

pre-market calls.

Another positive earnings report in the energy sector with Swedish oil firm Lundin Petroleum

saying earnings were above forecast.

In basic materials Glencore (Frankfurt: 8GC.F - news) won a temporary injunction over alleged unpaid royalties, which

could boost the stock after the news made it fall sharply on Monday.

Yet more headlines showing how divided the UK government is about Brexit could also weigh on

the pound and possibly ease pressure on the FTSE. Data showing UK shop prices falling this

morning also furthers the case for no rate hike next week.

And of course euro zone GDP data out at 0900 GMT will be keenly watched for further signs of

slowing in the region's strong economic growth.

(Julien Ponthus)

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EUROPEAN FUTURES JUST SLIGHTLY UP (0710 GMT)

European futures have opened in slightly positive territory, but nothing extravagant as the

highest rise is for the FTSE with a 0.4 percent but the IBEX and CAC are flat.

Earlier indications from financial spreadbetters gave London 20 points higher, Frankfurt's

DAX to open 36 points lower and Paris 26 points lower.

(Julien Ponthus)

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