LIVE MARKETS-A Q4 earnings surprise: Europe leapfrogs the U.S.

* European shares fall

* European Q4 earnings seen up 16.9 percent

Feb 21 (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

A Q4 EARNINGS SURPRISE: EUROPE LEAPFROGS THE U.S. (1048 GMT)

European equities may be dipping today but earnings forecasts have seen another big upwards

revision, bringing the fourth-quarter growth rate expected for the STOXX 600 to 16.9

percent, leapfrogging the 15 percent rise seen for the S&P 500.

The forecasts from Thomson Reuters (Dusseldorf: TOC.DU - news) analyst David Aurelio are likely to keep investors upbeat

about prospects for European equity markets, as they attempt to stabilise following a turbulent

start of the month on jitters over volatility and rising global rates.

And there is more: the number of European companies beating earnings expectations has also

risen to 53.4 percent, remaining above the 50 percent "beat" of a typical quarter, but still

lagging the 76 percent beat scored by the S&P 500.

In this second snapshot you can see how Europe's tech sector has delivered an impressive 84

percent earnings beat rate, followed by the 70 percent beat for the energy sector. The laggards

are telecoms and utilities with just 25 percent.

(Danilo Masoni)

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OPENING SNAPSHOT: EUROPE DIPS (0841 GMT)

As indicated by stocks futures, European shares have opened lower, with falls among more

defensive-type stocks, and rising U.S. bond yields are weighing on sentiment.

A well-received earnings update for Lloyds -- which included a share buyback of up to 1

billion pounds -- is helping to prop up banking stocks. Telecoms are the one sector seeing

meaningful gains after Telefonica Deutschland and Orange (LSE: 0OQV.L - news) revealed some much

needed good news on top-line growth.

Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in AA (Frankfurt: A116XA - news) have plunged more than 28 percent after the company cut its dividend

and said that it expected lower profit in 2019.

"While the dividend cut to 2p frees up some cash, risk reward is too negatively skewed on

'show me later' profits," Jefferies analysts said about AA's strategy update.

We've got the flash PMI for the Euro zone coming up at 0900 GMT so we'll be watching that

along with UK employment data due 0930 GMT.

Here's your market snapshot:

(Kit Rees)

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

European shares are set for a slight pullback this morning with stocks futures trading

around 0.2 percent lower, though judging by this week’s trading so far, we could well see a push

higher later in the session.

Earnings dominate the agenda again. While figures from bank Lloyds missed estimates,

investors could cheer its 1 billion-pound share buyback, with the shares seen rising as much as

3 percent.

Better times for Orange, which reported its first sales growth in France since 2009, could

buoy the telecom sector.

AA shares are expected to tumble after the roadside recovery firm said it planned

to pay lower dividends.

(Kit Rees)

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EUROPEAN HEADLINES: MORNING ROUND-UP (0738 GMT)

Lloyds bank profit rises to record $7.4 billion, but misses estimates

Orange's annual sales in France grow for first time since 2009

Glencore (Frankfurt: 8GC.F - news) says full-year results 'best ever'

Temenos agrees 1.4 bln pounds deal to buy British software house Fidessa

France's Atos (Paris: FR0000051732 - news) reports organic growth in-line with expectations

Maersk Energy sees uptick in offshore oil drilling, profit still squeezed

OMV (IOB: 0MKH.IL - news) 's operating profit benefits from higher crude prices

Telefonica Deutschland sees steady 2018, plans dividend increases

Volkswagen (IOB: 0P6N.IL - news) , German union IG Metall reach wage agreement

AA to pay lower dividends

AccorHotels' increase in 2017 profits beats expectations

Deutsche Boerse (IOB: 0H3T.IL - news) posts rise in net profit despite weak markets

Eramet (LSE: 0MGV.L - news) eyes expansion in electric vehicle metals

UK's Metro Bank (Frankfurt: 6MB.F - news) reports first annual profit

MTU Aero eyes further profit rise in 2018, subject to A320neo

FirstGroup (LSE: FGP.L - news) sees earnings "slightly" lower hit by weather, competition

BRIEF-Wolters Kluwer FY adjusted net profit beats Reuters poll

BRIEF-UK builder Barratt's half-year pre-tax profit rises 6.8 percent

BRIEF-Hotel Chocolat (Frankfurt: H0C.F - news) first half revenue and profit up 15 pct​

(Tom Pfeiffer)

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EUROPEAN STOCKS FUTURES OPEN LOWER (0711 GMT)

European share futures have opened slightly lower, pointing to a weaker session in which

metals and energy stocks are set to weigh.

We could see a repeat of yesterday, when European stocks gradually warmed up from a weak

start to end the session higher.

Here's your futures snapshot:

(Kit Rees)

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EUROPEAN EARNINGS: LLOYDS, GLENCORE, UK HOUSEBUILDERS IN FOCUS (0643 GMT)

As we said earlier, it's going to be another busy day of earnings, especially for UK banks

with Lloyds set to give a full-year update.

A report from Sky News late yesterday said that Lloyds will unveil a 1 billion pound ($1.40

billion) share buyback plan with its annual results, but Lloyds has declined to comment on the

report.

We've also got miner Glencore reporting full-year figures, and a couple of UK

housebuilders giving updates.

More broadly, European fourth-quarter earnings are expected to have increased by 14.6

percent from the same period in 2016, or 11.6 percent excluding the energy sector, according to

data from Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Here's a summary of European firms set to report this morning:

IBE.MC Full Year 2017 Iberdrola SA Earnings and Outlook Update Release

O2Dn.DE Q4 2017 Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG Earnings Release

ORAN.PA Q4 2017 Orange SA Earnings Release

GETP.PA Full Year 2017 Getlink Earnings Release

FGP (BSE: FGP.BO - news) .L Q3 2018 FirstGroup PLC Trading Statement Release

UTG (Other OTC: UTGN - news) .L Full Year 2017 Unite Group PLC Earnings Release

BDEV.L Half Year 2018 Barratt Developments PLC Earnings Release

CAPCC.L Full Year 2017 Capital & Counties Properties PLC Earnings Release

OMVV.VI Q4 2017 OMV AG Earnings Release

ACCP.PA Full Year 2017 Accor SA Earnings Release

ATOS.PA Full Year 2017 Atos SE Earnings Release

SATG.DE Q4 2017 Sartorius AG Earnings Release

STDM.PA Q4 2017 Sartorius AG Earnings Release

AGES.BR Q4 2017 Ageas SA Earnings Release

TOM.OL Q4 2017 Tomra Systems ASA Earnings Release

REZT.ST Q4 2017 Rezidor Hotel Group AB Earnings Release

WLSNc.AS Full Year 2017 Wolters Kluwer NV Earnings Release

LLOY.L Full Year 2017 Lloyds Banking Group PLC Earnings Release

GL9.I Full Year 2017 Glanbia PLC Earnings Release

MTXGn.DE Q4 2017 MTU Aero Engines AG Earnings Release

HOCM.L Full Year 2017 Hochschild Mining PLC Earnings Release

GLEN.L Full Year 2017 Glencore PLC Earnings Release

HOTG.DE Full Year 2017 Hochtief AG Earnings Release

VLLP.PA Full Year 2017 Vallourec SA Earnings Release

TCH.PA Full Year 2017 Technicolor SA Earnings Release

(Kit Rees)

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MORNING CALL: EUROPEAN SHARES SET TO SLIP (0622 GMT)

Good morning and welcome to Live Markets.

European shares are seen edging lower this morning, according to financial spreadbetters, on

another busy day of earnings.

Spreadbetters expect Germany's DAX to open 40 points lower, France's CAC 20 points lower and

Britain's FTSE 100 5 points lower.

This follows a muted session on Wall Street, though Asian shares gained.

Aside from earnings, focus today will be on flash PMI releases for the Euro zone to see

whether the economic momentum can be sustained in the region.

(Kit Rees)

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