TATE.L - Tate & Lyle plc

Ex-divs to take 3.3 points off FTSE 100 on Nov 21

LIVE MARKETS-Closing snapshot: 9 points is all it would take

* Wall Street opens higher Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Thyagaraju Adinarayan. 9 little points is all it would take to bring the STOXX 600 to its highest level ever and join Wall Street in the fun of fresh milestones and "record high" headlines. With upbeat trade optimism lifting stock markets across the planet, it's absolutely possible this will happen tomorrow (unless writing this just jinxed it!).

LIVE MARKETS-Two decades of Wall Street outperforming Europe: "An illusion"

* Wall Street opens higher Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Thyagaraju Adinarayan. Natixis chief economist Patrick Artus makes an interesting argument about the two-decade long stellar outperformance of Wall Street over Europe, saying it's "an illusion".

LIVE MARKETS-Are UK retail investors drifting away from the Tories?

* Wall Street opens higher Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Thyagaraju Adinarayan. ARE UK RETAIL INVESTORS DRIFTING AWAY FROM THE TORIES? No surprise here: one wouldn't exactly expect UK retail stock investors to massively support Labour.

LIVE MARKETS-Germany: no fast rebound but no crash either

UPDATE 2-UK midcaps jump on rising rate cut prospects, upbeat earnings

Shares in most domestically-focused British companies rallied on Thursday after two Bank of England policymakers unexpectedly voted for an interest rate cut, fuelling hopes of a fresh boost to the economy, while upbeat earnings updates also lent support. The more internationally focused FTSE 100, meanwhile, rose 0.1% to a one-month high. A sell-off in utilities and pharma stocks, which are generally considered safer bets at times of uncertainty, weighed on the FTSE 100 as investors turned to riskier assets.

LIVE MARKETS-Earnings, positive trade headlines help extend rally

UPDATE 2-Johnson Matthey battles lower profit at its biggest unit

Johnson Matthey on Wednesday lowered the profit outlook for its largest unit that makes pollution filters for cars and trucks and announced the departure of the unit's head, sending its shares down more than 3%. Shares of the FTSE 100 company was the biggest loser on London's blue-chip index. The moves follow scrutiny of Johnson Matthey's catalytic filters for trucks, which have been linked to emission issues at truckmakers Volvo and Cummins.

LIVE MARKETS-Closing snapshot: Lagarde effect

* STOXX 600 end at highest in nearly a year, up 0.85% * FTSE 100 boosted by weak pound * EU leaders choose France's Lagarde for ECB * Italy avoids EU sanction threat, bank stocks rally * S&P 500 hits fresh record high July 3 - Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Thyagaraju Adinarayan. Reach him on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: rm://thyagaraju.adinarayan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net CLOSING SNAPSHOT: LAGARDE EFFECT (1627 GMT) Bets that ECB chief nominee Christine Lagarde will strengthen the big global dovish camp boosted euro zone stocks with defensive sectors from healthcare food and beverage leading the broad-based rally. Gains in Europe and a FTSE 100 supported by a weaker sterling amid continued Brexit worries drove the pan-European STOXX 600 to its highest level in nearly one year.

LIVE MARKETS-Italy: plenty to catch up