European Factors to Watch-Shares seen opening higher

(Adds futures prices, company news)

LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - European stock index futures extended gains on Tuesday after data showed German exports and imports rose to their highest level on record in July.

At 0619 GMT, futures for the Euro STOXX 50 STXEc1 , Germany's DAX FDXc1 , France's CAC 40 FCEc1 and Britain's FTSE FFIc1 were 0.3 to 0.4 percent higher after falling in early trading.

Mining stocks will be in focus after data showed China's August exports fell less than expected but a steeper slide in imports pointed to continuing economic weakness, adding to concerns over the health of the world's second-largest economy. ID:nL4N1182W1

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 ended 0.5 percent higher at 1,399.34 points in the previous session.

COMPANY NEWS

ALLIANZ ALVG.DE

The insurer enters into a partnership with U.S. insurer Maiden MHLD.O to expand its car insurance business, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Tuesday.

BASF BASFn.DE

UK ministers will study Gazprom's GAZP.MM North Sea asset deal with BASF's Wintershall, British daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday.

AMLIN AML.L

MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc 8725.T said it is in talks to buy UK rival Amlin , the fourth multi-billion deal in as many months by Japanese insurers aggressively expanding overseas. ID:nL4N11D39Q

LUFTHANSA LHAG.DE

Lufthansa pilots will start the first of two days of walkouts at 0600 GMT, as they aim to pressure the carrier's management in a row over cost cuts, retirement benefits and pay. ID:nL5N11D0OD

SIEMENS SIEGn.DE

The company plans to invest 1 billion euros in India, CEO Joe Kaeser told the Economic Times. ID:nL4N11E1KV

ASHMORE GROUP ASHM.L

The company reported a rise in profit and revenue even as its assets under management (AuM) fell to $58.9 billion at the end of June, from $75 billion a year ago. ID:nFWN11C025

ALCATEL-LUCENT ALUA.PA

Former chief executive Michel Combes should give back part of the departure package he was awarded before leaving the telecom gear maker to join a French mobile operator, the French governance oversight body recommended, Le Figaro reported. ID:L5N11D3UY

HIKMA PHARMACEUTICAL PLC HIK.L

The company said it would buy nearly the entire share capital of EIMC United Pharmaceuticals, a drugmaker specialising in oncology products, from a consortium of shareholders to strengthen its position in the Egyptian market. ID:nL4N11E2GZ

BETFAIR BETF.L , PADDY POWER PLSA.I

Betfair and Irish rival Paddy Power have agreed on a 5 billion pound ($7.7 billion) merger in a bid to secure leadership of Britain's highly competitive online gambling market. ID:nFWN11E00E

PUNCH TAVERNS PUB.L

The company said it would sell its 50 percent stake in UK-based drinks wholesaler Matthew Clark to Conviviality Brands for 100.7 million pounds ($154.50 million) in cash. ID:nL4N11E2HD

ALSTOM ALSO.PA

European Union antitrust regulators will give their blessing on Tuesday to General Electric's GE.N 12.4 billion euro ($13.9 billion) bid for French peer Alstom's power business, two people familiar with the matter said. ID:nL5N11D3SN

RSA INSURANCE GROUP RSA.L

The company said it would sell its Latin American operations to the insurance arm of Colombia's GrupoSura SIS.CN for about 403 million pounds ($617 million) in cash. ID:nL4N11E29Q

TECHNIP TECF.PA

The oil services group said it won an offshore flexible pipe installation contract from Petronas Carigali for a site at Sarawak, in Malaysia. ID:nBw3vGZPpa

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 0528 GMT:

LAST PCT CHG NET CHG NIKKEI

.N225

17438.61 -2.36 % -421.86 MSCI ASIA EX-JP

.MIAPJ0000PUS

385.9 0.34 %

1.32 EUR/USD

EUR=

1.1216 0.44 %

0.0049 USD/JPY

JPY=

118.97 -0.25 % -0.3000 10-YR US TSY YLD US10YT=RR