Live Markets: What we're watching before the open
17/01/2019 07:51
* 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. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG64E
New frictions over Chinese tech giant Huawei urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nB9N1XQ02L urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N1ZG1OC that cast a cloud
over the Sino-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 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 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 and Salzgitter.
Elsewhere, German wholesaler Metro posted upbeat Christmas sales (shares up 4 pct
pre-market), while plumbing suppliers maker Geberit'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's
quarterly sales rise 2.4 pct; Experian Q3 organic revenue rises on North America boost; Alstom
expects to complete Siemens 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 SOGN.PA 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 VOES.VI issued its second profit warning in four
months while sales growth at Geberit GEBN.S was in line with expectations.
Updates also from Aker BP AKERBP.OL , Metro B4B.DE , Mowi MOWI.OL and FACC FACC.VI .
Here's your full headlines round up:
rench bank SocGen's Q4 results to be impacted by market conditions urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN1ZG0TU
Geberit reports 2018 sales rise in line with expectations urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN1ZG0VL
Voestalpine issues new profit warning, blames extra costs, provisions urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG70F
Oil firm Aker BP to hike dividend and spending in 2019 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG4Q2
Metro reports solid Christmas and slows decline in Russia urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nS8N1Z700V
FACC Q3 operating profit up 8 pct due to solid demand from planemakers urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG68A
Top fish farmer Mowi warns Q4 earnings to miss forecast urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZH0JC
Bid to keep U.S. sanctions on Russia's Rusal fails in Senate urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N1ZG1AP
ECB must avoid "financial distress" in banks' clean up - top EU lawmaker urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG64S
Bank regulators deem any Deutsche-Commerzbank merger unwise urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG62U
Germany says Siemens-Alstom deal to help European rail industry compete urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nS8N1T9049
French government calls for Renault board meeting to replace Ghosn urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG6O9
India pollution court asks Volkswagen to deposit $14 mln by Friday - TV urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nD8N1SH04R
Airbus spends $300 mln on new Alabama plant for A220 jet urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG73N
(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. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1ZG64E
"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 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: urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1ZH1FL
(Danilo Masoni)
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