Stocks set for steady start ahead of jobs data

(Reuters) - By 6:05 a.m. EDT S&P and Dow futures were flat, while Nasdaq futures eased 0.1 percent. European stocks were steady but dipped from early highs.




Citigroup chief executive Charles Prince said the recent market pullback "feels sharp," but he was bullish on the bank's growth, the New York Times said on its Web site.


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US jobs data hit stocks, dollar, boost bonds

(Reuters) - Stocks and the dollar fell while safe-haven government bonds rallied on Friday after weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data fanned concerns about a U.S. economy already struggling with credit liquidity fears.

U.S. stock futures pointed to a weaker open on Wall Street while European stocks moved deeper in negative territory after data showed U.S. employers boosted payrolls in July at the slowest pace since February, adding 92,000 jobs.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by Imperial Chemicals, Linde; IKB Tumbles

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first
time in five days, led by Imperial Chemical Industries Plc after
the company rejected a bid from Dutch rival Akzo Nobel NV.

Linde AG, the world's largest maker of industrial gases,
also gained after reporting earnings that topped analysts'
estimates. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group led mining
shares higher as copper increased.


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European stocks tick up in early trade; miners help

(Reuters) - European stocks rose in early trade on Monday as gains in miners and chemicals group ICI offset fears over the impact of a credit crunch on liquidity and mergers and acquisitions.

BHP Billiton gained 2.1 percent and Rio Tinto rose 1.5 percent, helped by gains in Australian trading.


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European Stocks Fall on Takeover Concern; Credit Suisse, Axa, Atos Retreat

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell the most in five
months on concern mergers and acquisitions will diminish as the
financing of takeovers becomes more difficult.

Credit Suisse Group and Axa SA led a drop by financial
companies. Atos Origin SA and Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA,
which have been in sale talks with buyout groups, also declined.


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European Stocks Pare Declines; GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca Shares Advance

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks pared declines as
shares of GlaxoSmithKline Plc and AstraZeneca Plc advanced.

Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index was little changed at
389.03 at 12:30 p.m. in London, after losing as much as 0.9
percent. The Stoxx 50 added 0.1 percent, while the Euro Stoxx 50,
a measure for the euro region, fell 0.2 percent.


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European Stocks May Rise on Mergers; ABN Amro, Friends Provident May Gain

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may advance after
Barclays Plc raised its offer for ABN Amro Holding NV to 67.5
billion euros ($93.4 billion) and Friends Provident Plc held talks
with Resolution Plc, according to people familiar with the matter.

Siemens AG might be active after Handelsblatt reported the
region's largest engineering company received bids for its VDO unit.
TomTom NV, the world's largest maker of car navigation devices, said
it intends to buy Tele Atlas NV.


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European Insurance Stocks May Advance; Energy Shares, Shell May Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may advance after
Barclays Plc raised its offer for the biggest Dutch bank to 67.5
billion euros ($93.4 billion) and Friends Provident Plc held talks
with Resolution Plc, according to people familiar with the matter.

Siemens AG might be active after Handelsblatt reported the
region's largest engineering company received bids for its VDO unit.
TomTom NV, the world's largest maker of car navigation devices, said
it intends to buy Tele Atlas NV.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by ABN Amro, Barclays, RBS, BT Group

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for a third day,
led by ABN Amro Holding NV after Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc
sweetened its 71.1 billion-euro ($98.1 billion) offer for the
Dutch lender, seeking to trump Barclays Plc.

Barclays also climbed. BT Group Plc advanced after Merrill
Lynch & Co. upgraded the stock.


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European Stocks May Fall; Volkswagen, Lufthansa, Rio Tinto Might Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may decline for the
first time in three days as crude oil traded near an 11-month
high. U.S.-traded securities of Volkswagen AG, the region's
biggest carmaker, and airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG slipped.

Rio Tinto Group, the world's third-largest mining company,
dropped in Australia after Citigroup Inc. cut its recommendation
on the shares. Royal Philips Electronics NV may be active after
saying second-quarter profit rose fivefold.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Boliden

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced for a second
day, led by mining companies after a strike in Chile lifted
copper prices. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Anglo American Plc rose.

``For copper, a fair amount of the recent price premium has
come through because of the strikes,'' said Stephen Pope, head of
equity research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. ``The mining
story is good. We're seeing very strong economic numbers and
that's underpinning'' the shares.


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European Stocks Advance in Quarter; Total, Linde, Swatch Pace the Gains

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks headed for a fourth
consecutive quarterly advance on speculation companies will keep
increasing profit and takeovers will lift shares.

Linde Group and BASF AG led chemical makers higher on
expectations they may merge. Swatch Group AG rallied after
Deutsche Bank AG recommended buying shares in the watchmaker
because revenue and profit margins may increase. Total SA and
Royal Dutch Shell Plc as oil climbed to a 10-month high.


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European Stocks Decline; France Telecom, Anglo American, GDF Lead Slide

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks declined for a third
day, led by financial shares and utilities, after the Bank for
International Settlements said central banks will need to keep
raising interest rates to quell inflation.

Deutsche Bank AG, Germany's largest bank, and French utility
Gaz de France SA paced the drop. France Telecom SA fell the most
in two weeks as the French government began selling shares worth
as much as 3.8 billion euros ($5.1 billion). Anglo American Plc
and Antofagasta Plc led mining companies lower after Cazenove
downgraded the stocks.


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European Stocks May Decline; Shares of Barclays, Credit Suisse Might Fall

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may retreat after
U.S. and Asian equities fell. Barclays Plc and Credit Suisse
Group may drop after their U.S.-traded securities declined.

France Telecom SA may be active as the French government
sells as much as 3.8 billion euros ($5.1 billion) of the nation's
largest phone company. Shares of Cumerio NV, owner of the biggest
copper smelter in southeastern Europe, may be active after
Germany's Norddeutsche Affinerie AG agreed to buy the company.


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European Stocks Decline on Ifo Report; Arcelor, Julius Baer, Barclays Fall

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for a second
day after German business confidence fell more than economists
forecast in June.

Arcelor Mittal led metal producers lower after the world's
largest steelmaker said demand may slow. Julius Baer Holding AG
declined the most in a year after UBS AG sold its stake in the
Swiss Bank. Deutsche Bank AG and Barclays Plc paced a retreat by
banks on concern losses in the U.S. mortgage market may grow.


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European Stocks Decline on Ifo Report; Vinci, DaimlerChrysler Fall

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for a second
day after German business confidence fell more than economists
forecast in June, adding to signs that growth in Europe's largest
economy may slow.

Vinci SA, the world's biggest construction company, and
German carmaker DaimlerChrysler AG led the retreat. Julius Baer
Holding AG declined the most in a year after UBS AG sold part of
its stake in the Swiss Bank, thwarting takeover speculation.
Infineon Technologies AG slid after Merrill Lynch & Co. lowered
its recommendation for the shares.


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European Stocks Drop; Deutsche Bank, Tesco and Nokia Lead the Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell the most in two
weeks as rising bond yields in the U.S. and Europe pushed banks,
insurers and retailers lower.

Deutsche Bank AG, Germany's biggest bank, and Brit Insurance
Holdings Plc paced the drop. Tesco Plc, the U.K.'s biggest
retailer, and Debenhams Plc also declined. Nokia Oyj, the world's
biggest maker of mobile phones, slid after Goldman, Sachs & Co.
cut its recommendation on the shares to ``neutral.''


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Banks, commodities boost FTSE amid global rally

(Reuters) - The UK's leading share index advanced on Wednesday, as commodities and banks helped European stocks keep up with a global rally and as the market shrugged off minutes from the Bank of England's June meeting.

Financial stocks extended their overnight gains on Wall Street, with Man Group, the world's largest listed hedge-fund company rising 1.9 percent.


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European Stocks Pare Gains After ZEW Survey; Tesco Declines on Sales

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks pared gains after a
report showed German investor confidence unexpectedly fell in
June. Tesco Plc dropped after Britain's largest supermarket
operator reported sales that missed analysts' estimates.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index added less than 0.1 percent to
397.97 as of 10:12 a.m. in London, after rising as much as 0.3
percent earlier. The Stoxx 50 increased 0.1 percent, while the
Euro Stoxx 50, a measure for the nations sharing the euro, gained
less than 0.1 percent.


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European Stocks Decline; Siemens and Telefonica Shares Lead the Retreat

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell, led by Siemens
AG and Telefonica SA.

The Stoxx 600 lost 0.3 percent to 398.09 as of 3:13 p.m. in
London. The Stoxx 50 also fell 0.3 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50, a
measure for the nations sharing the euro, retreated 0.4 percent.


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