MORNING BID EUROPE-Remain edges ahead in UK polls

* 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, June 21 (Reuters) - Expect an onslaught of pro-Remain interventions today: French companies including BNP (Paris: FR0000131104 - news) Paribas and Safran (LSE: 0IU8.L - news) pleading for their "amis britanniques" to stay in the EU; financier George Soros warning that Brexit could trigger a new Black Friday; even Hungary's Viktor Orban taking out a personally signed ad in the Daily Mail to declare that Hungary is proud to have Britain in the bloc. Most recent polls have edged back in favour of staying in but still comfortably within the margin of error: several polling experts have concluded that, with two days to go, it is too close to call.

EU envoys meeting in Brussels today should roll over sanctions on Russia for another six months. This comes after a series of developments that have soured the mood music between Moscow and the West: NATO has pushed plans to deploy battalions along Russia's western border, Russian athletes were banned from the Olympic Games over doping and Moscow was threatened with ejection from the European soccer championships because of violent fans (rather than results on the pitch). Already, some -- such as Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier -- are arguing that it is time for a less "sabre-rattling" at Russia and more reconciliation. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's opposition to the automatic renewal of the sanctions went down very well with Vladimir Putin at last week's St. Petersburg forum.

Germany's constitutional court rules today on the legality of a European Central Bank emergency bond-buying scheme, part of Mario Draghi's "whatever it takes" strategy to preserve the euro by allowing it to buy the debt of financially strained members. The European Court of Justice upheld the scheme last summer but a 35,000-strong group from Germany, including politicians and academics, still want it dismantled, arguing in Germany's top court that it exceeds the ECB's mandate and violates German law by being tantamount to state aid. A decision against the scheme could curb the bank's crisis-fighting powers and set off a legal battle between the EU and its biggest member; however experts think an outright rejection is unlikely.

MARKETS AT 0645 GMT The two most powerful central bankers on the planet testify to their respective parliaments on Tuesday - but any monetary policy steer from either Fed chief Yellen or ECB president Draghi will all be contingent on the outcome of Thursday's referendum in Britain. For the record, Yellen & Co already appear to have backtracked to signaling just one rate rise over the remainder of 2016 - a big climbdown from the four dots that were penciled in last December. But she has stated clearly that the Brexit risks to global financial stability is at the centre the Fed's radar in timing the next hike. Draghi will still insist the ECB's lastest easing, specifically the latest wave of corportate bond buying, is still working its way through the system, while he navigates a minefield of criticism and leftfield political risks from the Brexit fallout to German complaints about negative interest rates. On the latter score, the German constitutional court is expected to rule today on the legality of the ECB's OMT bond buying campaign about 10 am local time. It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) 's widely expected to give the programme a green light, but any nuances or conditions only complicate the ECB's political relations in its biggest member state. Otherwise, sterling and the broader global risk markets have extended Monday's surge as betting odds have seen implied probabilities on a 'Remain' vote settle just above 70 pct. Soros has warned of a 'Black Friday' for the pound with losses of 15 pct or more on a vote to exit, but he's already outlined the bearish stance of his funds and his political message is for voters to opt for Remain. More broadly, gains in Wall St stocks overnight have fed through Asia, where the Nikkei225 has outperformed with gains of more than 1 pct. HK and other regional bourses were also higher. Only Shanghai bucked the trend. European stocks are set to open steady after surging more than 3 pct on Monday. The dollar index is a touch lower, with euro/dollar firming. Treasury and bund yields and the oil prices have slipped backed a touch after Monday's gains. (Editing by Angus MacSwan)