LIVE MARKETS-Opening snapshot: staying below highs

* European shares open slightly higher

* Eyes on Trump speech for news on Sino-US trade talks

* Trump expected to delay European auto tariff decision

* Iliad rallies on buyback news, earnings drive top movers 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

OPENING SNAPSHOT: STAYING BELOW HIGHS (0835 GMT)

News that Trump is expected to announce this week he is delaying a decision on whether to slap tariffs on auto imported from Europe (likely for another 6 months) is making for a slightly positive start in Europe this morning.

The broader STOXX 600 index is up 0.2% with most country benchmarks also posting slight gains but staying just below recent highs, suggesting that investors are looking for more clarity on U.S. trade policy.

In single stocks, Iliad is shooting up 18% after the French telecoms group said on it would spend up to 1.4 billion euros to buy back shares.

Other top movers are also reacting to earning updates: Electrocomponents and B&M European are down 11% and 9% respectively, while Dialog Semi and Infineon are rising 6.4% and 5.8% respectively.

(Danilo Masoni)

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

European shares are expected to edge up at the open today, staying near recent highs, as investors await news on Sino-U.S. trade talks and on a likely delay to Washington's decision on whether to slap tariffs on European auto imports.

Futures on main regional benchmarks are up around 0.2-0.4%, also helped by good-looking earnings updates as the Q3 season nearly draws to its end.

EU officials said Trump is expected to announce this week he is delaying a tariff decision on car and auto parts imported from the European Union, likely for another six months. Traders see auto stocks rising 1% at the open.

In earnings, Deutsche Post DHL is up 1.5% in early Frankfurt trade after it reported an almost tripling of Q3 quarter operating profit and said it expected a strong Q4, while utility Uniper is up 3.5% after saying it expects a strong end to the financial year. Shares in United Internet and Evotec are also seen higher after results.

UK aerospace supplier Meggitt is seen up 4-5% after it raised its outlook for annual organic revenue growth, although it warned of pressured margins due to the grounding of Boeing's 737MAX, and Vodafone is expected to rise 3-4% after the world's No.2 mobile operator lifted its FY earnings guidance.

Shares in Dialog Semi are up 3.5% in early Frankfurt after the Apple supplier raised its long-term margins guidance, while elsewhere in the chip sector, Infineon forecast slower growth in the year ahead, seeing no improvement in the all-important car market and describing the economic environment as "fraught with uncertainty".

Shares in consumer-exposed stocks will be on the watchlist after Alibaba data showed that Chinese shoppers snapped up food supplements, facial masks and baby milk powder at the world's largest shopping festival, with brands such as L'Oreal and Nestle among the biggest winners. Its Singles' Day shopping blitz brought in a record 268.4 billion yuan ($38.4 billion) in sales, more than six times the amount of online sales made in the U.S. on Black Friday last year.

A 1.4 billion-euro share buyback at a large premium is expected to give a big boost to Iliad shares in Paris. Traders see the stock shooting up 20% at the open.

In deal-making, ProSiebensat.1 is expected to rise 4% after Mediaset raised its stake in its German rival as it presses ahead with plans to create a pan-European TV platform.

(Danilo Masoni)

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ON OUR RADAR: SHOPPERS, AUTOS, RESULTS AND DEALMAKING (0700 GMT)

Turning to the corporate front, shares in consumer-exposed stocks will be on the watchlist after Alibaba data showed that Chinese shoppers snapped up food supplements, facial masks and baby milk powder at the world's largest shopping festival, with brands such as L'Oreal and Nestle among the biggest winners.

Autos will also be watched after EU officials said Trump is expected to announce this week he is delaying a decision on whether to slap tariffs on cars and auto parts imported from the European Union.

There are also some earnings to digest as the Q3 season draws to its end. Updates this morning don't look bad.

Deutsche Post DHL reported an almost tripling of Q3 quarter operating profit and said it expected a strong Q4, while utility Uniper on Tuesday said it expects a strong end to the financial year.

Infineon however forecast slower growth in the year ahead, seeing no improvement in the all-important car market and describing the economic environment as "fraught with uncertainty".

There's some minor dealmaking t hat could liven up the session: Brewer AB Inbev will buy out Craft Brew Alliance own in a deal valuing the US company at about $321 million, while Italy's Mediaset raised its stake in German rival ProSiebensat.1 as it presses ahead with plans to create a pan-European TV platform.

(Danilo Masoni)

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MORNING CALL: FLAT (0634 GMT)

After a flat close yesterday not much action is expected at the open as well this morning.

Investors are looking for clearer signals over how Sino-U.S. trade talks are progressing and Trump's trade speech later today at the Economic Club of New York will be surely watched.

Spreadbetters at IG expect London's FTSE to open flat at 7,328, Frankfurt's DAX to open flat at 13,199 and Paris' CAC to open 1 point lower at 5,893.

Over in Asia, share markets flatlined as uncertainty over Sino-U.S. trade talks and political strife in Hong Kong dogged sentiment.

(Danilo Masoni)

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(Reporting by Danilo Masoni, Joice Alves, Julien Ponthus and Thyagaraju Adinarayan)