LIVE MARKETS-What we're watching before the open

* European stock futures open lower

* Stock markets mixed in Asia

* UK PM seeks to end Brexit stalemate after confidence vote win

* SocGen Q4 results to be hit by tough market conditions

* US investigating Huawei for alleged trade secret theft, says WSJ

Jan 17 - 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

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING BEFORE THE OPEN (0751 GMT)

European shares are expected to open on the back foot today after a mixed showing in Asia overnight and as the Brexit focus shifts to UK PM May's efforts to form a consensus in parliament over a Plan B to leave the EU.

New (KOSDAQ: 160550.KQ - news) frictions over Chinese tech giant Huawei that cast a cloud over the Sino (Dusseldorf: 1205802.DU - news) -US trade truce also weighed with futures last pointing to losses of around 0.4-0.5 percent across major European benchmarks, FTSE included.

On the corporate front, updates are starting to roll in.

Societe Generale (Swiss: 519928.SW - news) said its fourth-quarter results would be hit by tough market conditions and the impact of some asset sales, sending shares in the French bank down 3-5 pct in pre-market. A second profit warning in four months from Voestalpine (IOB: 0MKX.IL - news) sent shares in the Austian steelmaker down 5-7 pct in pre-market. Voestalpine blamed extra costs due to a difficult production ramp-up in the US and provisions in connection with a German cartel investigation, which also involved peers ArcelorMittal (LSE: 0NSF.L - news) and Salzgitter (IOB: 0G77.IL - news) .

Elsewhere, German wholesaler Metro (Dusseldorf: 62M.DU - news) posted upbeat Christmas sales (shares up 4 pct pre-market), while plumbing suppliers maker Geberit (IOB: 0QQ2.IL - news) 's sales growth slowed in line with expectations during its fourth quarter.

In the UK, software company Sage made a strong start to the financial year with a 7.6 pct rise in organic revenue (shares up 3 pct pre-market), while the house sector could suffer after a survey showed the outlook for UK house sales was the weakest on record.

Other stock movers: Primark owner AB Foods holds guidance after revenue rise; Whitbread (Frankfurt: WHF4.F - news) 's quarterly sales rise 2.4 pct; Experian Q3 organic revenue rises on North America boost; Alstom (EUREX: 2229080.EX - news) expects to complete Siemens (BSE: SIEMENS.BO - news) tie-up in first-half of 2019; New Beiersdorf CEO hints at action as sales slow; GVC Sees FY Proforma Underlying EBITDA Ahead Of Market Consensus

For more headlines check out the previous post.

(Danilo Masoni)

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HEADLINES ROUNDUP: EYES ON SOC GEN, VOESTALPINE AS UPDATES FLOW IN (0656 GMT)

Turning to the corporate front the earnings earning updates are starting to flow in with Societe Generale likely to be in focus after the French bank said its fourth-quarter results would be hit by challenging market conditions and the impact of some asset sales, while elsewhere in results, steelmaker Voestalpine issued its second profit warning in four months while sales growth at Geberit was in line with expectations.

Updates also from Aker BP (LSE: 0M5J.L - news) , Metro, Mowi and FACC (LSE: 0QW9.L - news) .

Here's your full headlines round up:

rench bank SocGen (Paris: FR0000130809 - news) 's Q4 results to be impacted by market conditions

Geberit reports 2018 sales rise in line with expectations

Voestalpine issues new profit warning, blames extra costs, provisions

Oil firm Aker BP to hike dividend and spending in 2019

Metro reports solid Christmas and slows decline in Russia

FACC Q3 operating profit up 8 pct due to solid demand from planemakers

Top fish farmer Mowi warns Q4 earnings to miss forecast

Bid to keep U.S. sanctions on Russia's Rusal (HKSE: 0486-OL.HK - news) fails in Senate

ECB must avoid "financial distress" in banks' clean up - top EU lawmaker

Bank regulators deem any Deutsche-Commerzbank (Xetra: CBK100 - news) merger unwise

Germany says Siemens-Alstom (LSE: 0J2R.L - news) deal to help European rail industry compete

French government calls for Renault (LSE: 0NQF.L - news) board meeting to replace Ghosn

India pollution court asks Volkswagen (IOB: 0P6N.IL - news) to deposit $14 mln by Friday - TV

Airbus spends $300 mln on new Alabama plant for A220 jet

(Danilo Masoni)

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EUROPEAN SHARES SEEN LOWER AS MAY SURVIVES CONFIDENCE VOTE (0629 GMT)

Indications from spreadbetters point to a weaker start on European stock markets today following a mixed showing in Asia, where concerns over China's outlook resurfaced, and after British Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly won a confidence vote overnight.

May then appealed to lawmakers from across the political divide to come together to try to break the impasse on a Brexit divorce agreement.

"The Prime Minister must bring back a version of the Brexit deal to the House of Commons, incorporating any modifications negotiated with the EU, by Monday 21 January," notes Goldman Sachs' Adrian Paul.

Meanwhile, UBS Global Wealth Management continues to advise clients not to touch UK assets. "If anyone is still paying attention, it is probably best to stay cynical and avoid attempting to trade unforecastable events," says its chief economist, Paul Donovan.

Financial spreadbetters at IG (Frankfurt: A0EARV - news) expect London's FTSE to open 24 points lower at 6,839, Frankfurt's DAX to open 27 points lower at 10,905 and Paris' CAC to open 14 points lower at 4,796. For a round up on Global Markets click here:

(Danilo Masoni)

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