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LIVE MARKETS-What's on the radar for the European open

* European stocks futures rise

* Wall St, Asia stocks climb, shrug off U.S. inflation

Feb 15 - Welcome to the home for real time coverage of European equity markets brought to

you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Helen Reid. Reach her on Messenger to

share your thoughts on market moves: helen.reid.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

WHAT'S ON THE RADAR FOR THE EUROPEAN OPEN (0741 GMT)

European stocks were set to extend their rally on Wednesday as equity investors around the

world shrugged off a spike in U.S. inflation which had caused a sharp but short-lived drop in

stock markets in the previous session. Futures indicated gains of 0.5 to 0.8 percent across

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Europe’s major benchmarks.

A raft of earnings to digest today including heavy hitters Nestle (Swiss: NESN.VX - news) and Airbus. Nestle said it

had no plans to increase its stake in L'Oreal, and a trader said the comments had triggered

speculation Nestle could sell its stake. The Swiss food giant’s shares were indicated down 1.6

percent in pre-market.

Airbus shares were seen up 3 to 4 percent after profits for Europe’s largest aerospace group

came in higher than expected, although it took a new 1.3 billion euro hit on its A400M military

transport plane.

With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) the rand hitting three-year highs against the dollar after President Jacob Zuma

resigned, stocks exposed to South Africa could get a boost. And autos stocks could gain from

data showing sales of passenger cars in Europe rose twice as fast in January as in the whole of

2017.

(Helen Reid)

*****

HOT EUROPEAN HEADLINES (0736 GMT)

Once more it's set to be a busy day of earnings, with numbers from the likes of Nestle,

Airbus and Schneider Electric (EUREX: SND1.EX - news) to keep traders busy. Below is a round-up of this morning's key

European company and macro headlines.

Nestle disappoints in 2017, no plan to increase L'Oreal stake

Airbus takes 1.3 bln euros charge on A400M military plane

Schneider Electric ends 2017 on high note despite currency headwinds

Capgemini annual revenue beats on strong Digital and Cloud business

Norwegian Air reports bigger-than-expected Q4 loss

Aegon (Swiss: AGN.SW - news) reports Q4 earnings above analysts' expectations

Straumann FY revenue hit $1.08 bln on higher sales

Insurer NN Group's Q4 profit jumps on Delta Lloyd (Euronext: DL.NX - news) takeover

Insurer Lancashire warns of tough year ahead, swings to loss

Anglo-Dutch RELX to end dual-company structure, profit rises 6 pct

Britain's ConvaTec 2017 profit down 3.3 percent on supply issues

Lloyds axes $140 bln Standard Life Aberdeen contract

European car sales up 6.8 pct in January, led by French gains

French unemployment falls to lowest level since 2009

Amazon says to create 2,000 jobs in France in 2018

Hedge fund Bridgewater makes $22 bln bet against European firms

ANALYSIS-Sorry, not sorry: Wall Street not quitting 'vol' products

(Kit Rees)

*****

FUTURES POINT TO STRONG OPEN FOR EUROPEAN STOCKS (0711 GMT)

Stock futures have opened robustly higher - up 0.5 to 0.8 percent - across the major

European benchmarks, indicating yesterday's rally will be extended. German bund futures have

opened lower, however, as yields continue to rise across markets.

Looks like JP Morgan may have been prescient in its Monday note arguing "The negative

correlation between stock and bond prices is not dead, in our view, it will quickly reestablish

itself and ultimately prove a valuation cushion in case of further equity weakness."

(Helen Reid)

*****

ECB POLICYMAKERS, EARNINGS IN FOCUS (0635 GMT)

After yesterday's U.S. inflation data, European investors will be focusing on, among other

things, speeches by ECB policymakers Praet, Mersch and Lautenschlaeger.

"We think they might signal that the recent market turbulence is not a source of concern

given the strength of the current expansion," write Societe Generale (Swiss: 519928.SW - news) analysts. "They are also

likely to reiterate that the asset purchase programme will continue until September this year

and that what happens beyond then is entirely data dependent."

A heavy slate of earnings today to keep traders and investors occupied as well: Airbus

announces it's taking a 1.3 billion euros charge on its A400M military plane, clouding

its better-than-expected profits, while budget airline Norwegian Air reports a bigger

than expected Q4 loss. Other big companies reporting today include Nestle and Capgemini.

In other results:

Schneider Electric ends 2017 on high note despite currency headwinds

Straumann FY revenue hit $1.08 bln on higher sales

Insurer NN Group's Q4 profit jumps on Delta Lloyd takeover

(Helen Reid)

*****

MORNING CALL: INFLATION? WHAT INFLATION? (0616 GMT)

Good morning and welcome to Live Markets.

European stocks are called to open strongly higher today, following the lead of Asian

markets which gained after Wall Street shrugged off a spike in inflation many had feared would

derail equities once again.

Asian shares rose overnight after U.S. stocks took the inflation data in their stride, with

the Dow Jones up 1 percent and the S&P 500 up 1.3 percent. Bonds plunged, however, as Treasury

yields jumped, in anticipation of more rapid U.S. interest rate hikes.

Currency movements could colour European trading today, with the euro hitting a 10-day high

against the dollar as the greenback suffered further losses.

Spreadbetters call the DAX 132 points higher at 12,470.9, the CAC 40 up 50 points at

5,215.2, and the FTSE 100 35 points higher at 7,248.8.

(Helen Reid)

*****