MORNING BID EUROPE-Predictably, a win for Putin

* A look at the day ahead from European Economics and Politics Editor Mark John and EMEA markets editor Mike Dolan. The views expressed are their own.

LONDON, March 19 (Reuters) - To nobody's surprise, Vladimir Putin romped home in the Russian election, with a partial result giving him 75.9 percent of a vote in which the main opposition leader was barred from running. His campaign spokesman has taken delight in thanking Britain for its help in bolstering Putin's support by making such a fuss over the Salisbury nerve agent attack. In fact, while early signs suggest turnout at above 60 percent, it is not clear whether it has gone above the 70 percent goal aspired to by the Kremlin - despite reports of ballot-stuffing. The Golos election monitor is due later to give its read-out on possible abuses, and OSCE observers will also give a statement. None of this will have little impact on the outcome: Putin is here to stay for another six years and the West will have to deal with it. His name will feature prominently at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels today where British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will brief European counterparts on its latest intelligence on Salisbury before going to NATO.

Another week, another government in trouble. In Norway, the minority coalition of Prime Minister Erna Solberg may resign later today if the small Christian Democrats party back a motion of no confidence brought by the opposition against Justice Minister Sylvi Listhaug. She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) sparked a storm of criticism by saying the opposition Labour Party was more interested in defending terrorists' rights than national security. That foes against the grain of Norway's consensual politics but was seen as particularly offensive given that the Labour Party was hit by the 2011 Breivik killings, which targeted the party's youth wing among other strikes.

After Paris last week, the newly sworn-in German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Warsaw today for meetings with one of her most prickly partners in Europe. Differences between the two countries are plenty, ranging from a row over Polish judicial reforms seen as undermining rule of law, through to Warsaw's refusal to take a share of asylum-seekers in the EU and its objections to a new pipeline due to ship Russian gas to Germany.

MARKETS AT 0755 GMT

World stock markets slip back yet again as we brace for the Wednesday’s first U.S. interest rate rise of the year and keep an eye on G20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting in Buenos Aires later. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to lift interest rates by another quarter of a percentage point after its two-day policy meeting this week, with all the attention on whether it will nudge up existing guidance for two more after that in 2018 and two hikes in 2019. Much of the market angst over the past three months as centred on whether the Fed monetary policy may get more aggressive in trying to prevent any overheating of the U.S. economy and whether it will raise rates three or four times this year. Ten-year U.S. Treasuries have nudged back above 2.86 percent as the week gets underway. The dollar was more mixed, with its DXY index up slightly as both dollar/yen and euro/dollar ebbed a touch. Currency markets may keep a closer eye on the G20 meeting, where U.S. trade and tariff threats and pledges of retaliation may dominate proceedings. Many assume the overtly protectionist “America First” stance of President Trump’s administration also translates into it favouring a weaker dollar to bolster the U.S. trade position and any commentary like that around the G20 – much like the welcome U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin gave to a weaker dollar in Davos in January – would be sensitive even in a week of rising U.S. interest rates.

After a slight advance on Wall St on Friday, S&P500 stock futures are back in the red on Monday morning, with Asia bourses mostly in the red too. Japan’s Nikkei225 and South Korea’s Kospi were both down almost 1 percent. Chinese and HK equities bucked the trend, however, and both ended slightly positive after Beijing named its new economic team. China elevated a key confidante of President Xi Jinping , Liu He, to vice premier as the government cracks down on riskier financing and a debt build-up that may pose systemic risks to the world's second-largest economy. The choice of Yi Gang as the new head of the People's Bank of China (HKSE: 3988-OL.HK - news) was more of a surprise but not expected to change policy significantly. European stocks are expected to open down about 0.5 percent, with German bund yields nudging back higher from five-week lows after three European Central Bank policymakers voiced optimism on the inflation outlook on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Turkey’s lira fell 0.3 percent, hitting a fresh 3-1/2 month low against the dollar, and hovered near a record low against the euro. Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies drove Kurdish YPG forces out of Afrin on Sunday after an eight week campaign. Geopolitical tensions and concerns about the Turkish economy have been weighing on Turkish assets in recent weeks. Russia’s rouble opened slightly firmer, bond spreads narrowed and shares edged up after Vladimir Putin won another six years as President in an expected landslide victory. Russian assets came under selling pressure last week after a nerve agent attack on British soil was pinned on Russia, attracting widespread condemnation from the West and growing speculation of another round of sanctions against Moscow.

* Europe corp events: Capita Q4, Henkel (LSE: 0IZ8.L - news) , Micro Focus

* Italy Jan industrial production, trade

* EZ Jan trade

* Belgium March consumer confidence

* Poland Feb industrial production, PPI

* Kenya central bank policy decision

* G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs meet in Buenos Aires

* Atlanta Fed chief Bostic speaks in Miami (Editing by Toby Chopra)