LIVE MARKETS-Tentative gains so far in Europe
* European stock futures up slightly
* German economy stalled in Q4
* Earnings in focus
Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters
stocks reporters and anchored today by Josephine Mason. Reach her on Messenger to share your
thoughts on market moves: josephine.mason.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
TENTATIVE GAINS SO FAR IN EUROPE (0729 GMT)
European stock futures are making tentative gains so far - between 0.2 and 0.3 percent -,
with DAX futures taking a weaker-than-expected GDP reading in their stride.
GDP in Europe's biggest economy grew by 0.0 percent quarter-on-quarter, slower than the 0.1
percent growth forecast. Perhaps there is some relief it escaped recession by the narrowest of
margins, although a downbeat number may have been priced in
Here's your futures snapshot and some of the major headlines so far this morning:
Four big shareholders of Deutsche Bank (IOB: 0H7D.IL - news) call for cuts at investment bank - FT
Airbus to scrap production of A380 superjumbo
Renault Chairman: not time to discuss Nissan chairmanship -Jiji
Commerzbank (Xetra: CBK100 - news) posts 51 percent rise in Q4 net profit
Credit Agricole (Swiss: ACA.SW - news) 's Q4 profits rise more than expected, meets targets a year early
Credit Suisse (IOB: 0QP5.IL - news) sees markets steadying in early 2019
Swiss elevator maker Schindler posts in-line 2018 profit as demand grows
France's Schneider Electric (EUREX: SND1.EX - news) sees 2019 growth slowing less than expected
DSM Q4 core profit rises 3 pct, narrowly beats estimates
Deutsche Boerse (IOB: 0H3T.IL - news) 's net profit drops 35 pct in Q4
AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN - news) product sales top forecasts with 8 pct rise
EXCLUSIVE-VW, Ford far apart on investment in Ford autonomous unit -sources
Italian railways group to start talks with Delta, easyJet on Alitalia (Stuttgart: 2278962.SG - news)
ANALYSIS-Airbus A380: from European dream to white elephant
Airbus' Q4 profits rise and beat expectations
Paddy Power Betfair (Other OTC: PDYPF - news) to challenge 55 million euros in tax bills
Nestle (Swiss: NESN.VX - news) expects sales to grow this year -
Renault (LSE: 0NQF.L - news) sales and profits fall on diesel, currency setbacks
(Josephine Mason)
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BLAST OF EARNINGS: AIRBUS, COMMERZBANK AND RENAULT (0658 GMT)
Aside from the blast of earnings to digest this morning, Airbus is in focus after confirming
plans to scrap production of the A380 superjumbo, abandoning its dream to challenge Boeing (NYSE: BA - news) 's
legendary 747. That may overshadow stronger-than-expected Q4 results and its forecast higher
aircraft deliveries and profits in 2019.
Elsewhere generally solid results from industrial players from chemicals to elevators.
Air Liquide (LSE: 0NWF.L - news) said it was confident in its ability to deliver net profit growth in 2019 at
constant exchange rates, Swiss elevator and escalator maker Schindler posted a 14-percent rise
in full-year net profits and French electrical equipment producer Schneider Electric expects
earnings growth to ease this year but at a pace slower than the market expects.
Dutch speciality chemicals company DSM pledged to buy back 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion)
in shares, as its fourth-quarter core profit topped expectations.
More bank earnings - Commerzbank and Credit Agricole both delivered better-than-expected Q4
profits. Commerzbank shares are up more than 5 percent in pre-market trade. Credit Agricole also
met its profit goals set for 2019 a year ahead of target.
Deutsche Bank will be in focus after an FT report that major shareholders called for cuts at
its struggling investment bank. The bank has rebuffed the report.
German stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse reported a much worse-than-expected 35
percent fall in net profit in the fourth quarter and said it had become more cautious about this
year's outlook.
Nestle said it expected its organic sales to rise this year while Renault's revenue and
profits fell in 2018, hit by collapsing diesel sales, exchange-rate setbacks and a withdrawal
from the Iranian market.
(Josephine Mason)
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EUROPE STILL IN CHIPPER MOOD? (0627 GMT)
Can the STOXX 600 make it a fourth day of gains?
It's a mixed bag in the early indicators: IG (Frankfurt: A0EARV - news) financial spreadbetters expect London's FTSE to
open 13 points lower at 7,178, Frankfurt's DAX to open 21 points higher at 11,189 and Paris' CAC
to open 3 points higher at 5,077.
The good news is that noises were generally from Beijing overnight as U.S. Treasury
Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer held meetings in the
Chinese capital to ease the trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.
But we'll have to wait til tomorrow to find out if any concrete progress on some of the
major sticking points - IP among them - has been made. Whether investors can sustain the chipper
mood that has swept the markets this week is not clear.
Chinese trade data released earlier showed exports unexpectedly returned to growth in
January after a shock decline the previous month, while imports fell much less than expected,
but analysts said it was likely due to seasonal factors and predicted renewed trade weakness
ahead.
Closer to home, we'll find out if Germany slipped into recession at the end of last year
when Q4 flash GDP is released at 0700 GMT. Seasonally adjusted GDP seen +0.1 pct q/q, +0.7 pct
y/y. Unadjusted GDP seen +0.9 pct y/y.
That's followed by closely watched Q4 euro-zone growth data at 0900 GMT - consensus is for
0.2 percent growth, unchanged from Q3.
It's a packed day for earnings too, but more on that later.
(Josephine Mason)
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