LIVE MARKETS-Six European banks need to raise their game while they can

* FTSE, CAC future open lower

* Eurex experiences delays

* Asian shares fall, S&P 500 ends lower

LONDON, March 16 (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

SIX EUROPEAN BANKS NEED TO RAISE THEIR GAME WHILE THEY CAN (1033 GMT)

"Not all major banks are firing on all cylinders," S&P analysts assess in a research note

where they argue that a "cadre of major banks continues to lag the improvement of their closest

peers".

Barclays (LSE: BARC.L - news) , Commerzbank (Xetra: CBK100 - news) , Credit Suisse (IOB: 0QP5.IL - news) , Deutsche Bank DBKGn.DE>,

RBS (LSE: RBS.L - news) and Standard Chartered (BSE: 580001.BO - news) are identified as having "yet to optimize their

business and operating models to ensure sufficient and sustainable profitability".

Now (Frankfurt: 11N.F - news) is the ideal time to do so, S&P also says, noting that the European economic recovery

will not last forever.

While 2017 was a cornerstone for the recovery of the European banking sector, a decade after

the start of the financial crisis, 2018 will be the moment of truth for banking laggards.

"By the end of 2018, we expect that for many of these banks it will be clearer whether their

management teams are able to close the gap on their nearest competitors, or else have to return

to the drawing board."

Here is a chart showing how these banks trail their peers in terms of profitability:

(Julien Ponthus)

*****

OPENING SNAPSHOT: NEX GROUP SHOOTS UP IN LACKLUSTRE MARKET (0813 GMT)

In otherwise calm markets with the STOXX trading flat, Nex Group shares are shooting up 35

percent after it said CME had made a preliminary takeover offer.

Results are also causing some big moves under the surface, with Altice (Other OTC: ATSVF - news) up 5.3 percent after

its earnings report while Berkeley Group loses 5 percent.

If this morning's lacklustre open spells a weaker trading day, it's likely the STOXX will

end the week in the red.

(Helen Reid)

*****

WHAT'S ON THE RADAR FOR THE EUROPEAN OPEN (0752 GMT)

In a week which has been dominated by the goings-on in the Trump administration, trade war

worries and geopolitical tensions, European shares are set to end the week with a slight loss.

UK and French stocks futures are pointing to a negative open today, but DAX and Euro stoxx

futures have failed to open as Eurex is currently experiencing delays.

Delays aside, a number of stocks are expected to see some big moves today. It’s going to be

the first day of trading for Siemens’ Healthineers, which one trading desk sees rising 16

percent.

While it’s fairly quiet on the results front traders see Altice’s shares falling, pointing

to disappointing guidance.

Elsewhere the M&A machine grinds on with Britain’s NEX Group saying that it has received a

preliminary takeover approach from U.S.-based exchange operator CME Group (Kuala Lumpur: 7018.KL - news) , a move which aims to

create a cross-border trading powerhouse. NEX’s shares are seen jumping as much as 25 percent.

(Helen Reid)

*****

EUROPEAN CORPORATE NEWS HEADLINE ROUND-UP (0738 GMT)

Nex Group shares are seen jumping as much as 25 percent at the open after U.S.

exchange operator CME made a preliminary takeover offer. Here are some of today's corporate

headlines to keep an eye on:

Exchange operator CME in talks with Britain's NEX on possible takeover

UK builder Berkeley says it can't boost volumes beyond current plans

Old Mutual (Other OTC: ODMUF - news) sells Latam businesses to Singapore's CMIG Intl

Elliott asks to replace Telecom Italia (Amsterdam: TI6.AS - news) board members, including Vivendi CEO

British outsourcer Mitie sees higher costs from turnaround programme

Lufthansa (Xetra: LHAB.DE - news) , Ryanair to drive Frankfurt airport passenger growth this year

Drahi's debt-ridden telecoms group Altice seeing some recovery in France

UK's Wetherspoon sees higher cost, slower sales growth ahead

(Helen Reid)

*****

CORRECTED - EUROPEAN STOCKS FUTURES OPEN LOWER, EUREX FACES DELAYS (NOT EURONEXT)(0721 GMT)

While FTSE and CAC futures have opened lower, DAX and Eurostoxx futures have failed to open

with Eurex saying that the trading system is experiencing serious issues. The Eurex T7 system is

experiencing technical issues. German bund futures also failed to open.

We are monitoring the situation and will keep you updated.

Here is a shortened futures snapshot:

(Kit Rees)

*****

EUROPEAN EARNINGS: SLIM PICKINGS (0652 GMT)

In the UK Mitie Group's full year update will be of interest given the issues the

outsourcing industry has had this year, but apart from that, it's looking like a quiet one on

the results front today.

But it's the broader prospect of earnings growth in Europe which has analysts at Credit

Suisse's wealth management division remaining positive on the region's equities.

"Although the stronger EUR is a risk, we believe that, of all the regions, Eurozone

companies are best positioned to meet or even beat their earnings growth expectations in future.

We expect domestically focused companies to do particularly well," Credit Suisse wealth

management analysts said in a note this morning.

Here are the European companies set to give updates today:

TIV.CO Q4 2017 Tivoli A/S Earnings Release

SZGG.DE Full Year 2017 Salzgitter AG Earnings Release

BC8G.DE Full Year 2017 Bechtle AG Earnings Release

E7SG.DE Q4 2017 Accentro Real Estate AG Earnings Release

OCI (Euronext: OCI.NX - news) .AS Full Year 2017 Oci NV Earnings Release

BKGH.L Berkeley Group Holdings PLC Trading Statement Release

JDW.L Half Year 2018 J D Wetherspoon PLC Earnings Release

INVP.L Investec PLC Pre-Close Briefing

FRAG.DE Full Year 2017 Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide Earnings Release

MQH.ST Q2 2018 MQ Holding AB Earnings Release

SMPV.VI Full Year 2017 Semperit Ag Holding Earnings Release

MTO.L Full Year 2018 Mitie Group PLC Pre-close Trading Statement Release

(Kit Rees)

*****

MORNING CALL: HESITANT START SEEN FOR EUROPEAN SHARES (0629 GMT)

Good morning. European shares are seen opening in a narrow range this morning, according to

financial spreadbetters, following on from yesterday's positive session.

Spreadbetters were calling Britain's FTSE 100 index 7 points lower, France's CAC 5 points

lower and Germany's DAX 7 points higher, so a range of 0.1 percent either way.

Overnight Asian shares lost ground, however, after reports of further chaos in the Trump

administration. Wall Street's S&P 500 closed lower for a fourth day in a row.

Elsewhere this morning the focus will also be on final inflation figures for the euro zone,

due at 1000 GMT.

(Kit Rees)

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