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MILAN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - European shares were expected to open on a cautious note on Friday before the release of a key jobs report in the United States that could provide clues on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy outlook.
Financial spreadbetters expected Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE to open 1-3 points higher, or 0.01-0.05 percent, Germany's DAX .GDAXI to open 20-25 points lower, or 0.21-0.27 percent, and France's CAC 40 .FCHI to open 6 points lower, or 0.14 percent.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 ended down 0.15 percent after a choppy day on Thursday, as weak U.S. data led to concerns that the world's biggest economy may be slowing down, further weakening the dollar.
COMPANY NEWS:
BNP PARIBAS BNPP.PA
The French bank presented plans to cut investment banking costs by 12 percent by 2019 on Friday in a bid to bolster profitability and said it would quit some activities in order to fuel growth. Regulatory and compliance costs, along with a previously announced writedown on the value of its Italian unit, pushed net income down 51.7 percent to 665 million euros, undershooting the average of analyst estimates of 845 million in a Reuters poll. ISPA.AS
The world's largest steelmaker launched plans on Friday to raise $3 billion in fresh capital in a bid to reduce debt in the face of weak steel and mining sectors. SGEF.PA
Vinci said on Thursday that the French construction market it operates in was stabilising and that its net and operating profits would rise this year even though revenue might decline slightly on a like-for-like basis.
AIRBUS AIR.PA
French Airbus Group's Helicopter unit said on Thursday talks with Poland's economy ministry were continuing on the delivery of 50 helicopters for the Polish army, denying a media report that the deal had been scrapped.
ORANGE ORAN.PA
Orange said on Thursday it would introduce several important changes to its senior management teams in Europe as of May 1, which continued to be managed by Gervais Pellissier, Deputy CEO.
NOVACAP
Buyout group Ardian is moving ahead with the sale of French chemicals group Novacap in a potential 700 million euro ($783 million) deal, several people familiar with the matter said.
LVMH LVMH.PA
The French luxury group said on Thursday it had successfully placed $600 million in cash-settled synthetic convertible bonds.
RWE RWEG.DE
The chief executive of the struggling utility, Peter Terium, will switch jobs to become the head of RWE's renewables, networks and retail division, Rheinische Post reported. The paper also cited company sources as saying that RWE plans to take an impairment charge of more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), mainly due to write-downs at the utility's large power plants. DAIGn.DE
Analyst conference on Q4 results due. The carmaker already published results and a subdued 2016 outlook on Thursday. CONG.DE
Continental Automotive Systems said on Thursday it supplied potentially defective air bag control units to 5 million vehicles used by Honda, Fiat Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and three other manufacturers built over a five-year period worldwide, widening an air bag safety crisis. NIXDORF WING.DE
Diebold has launched is offer for the German ATM maker and has set a minimum acceptance threshold of about 67.6 percent of Wincor Nixdorf shares. BAER BAER.VX
The No. 3 Swiss bank admitted helping U.S. clients evade their tax obligations, agreed to cooperate with authorities and close out any remaining undeclared taxpayer accounts. It has entered a deferred prosecution agreement in the U.S. tax case, agreeing to pay about $547 million.
Separately, Switzerland's FINMA banking regulator said on Friday that it has ended its case against Julius Baer after it concluded the bank had deficient governance, insufficient controls and a problematic incentive system in an environment in which it underestimated legal and reputational risks. FINMA said it does not see any reasons for further measures against Julius Baer, at least according to the current understanding of the situation.
For more click BAER.VX
SYNGENTA <SYNN.VX.
Moody's Investors Service has placed Syngenta'S ratings, including its A2 long term issuer rating and Prime-1 short-term rating, under review for downgrade following the announcement that China National Chemical Corporation has offered to acquire the company for cash of over $43 billion.
For more click SYNN.VX
SHELL RDSa.L
British Columbia's ambitions to become North America's next major liquefied natural gas exporter took another hit on Thursday, as Royal Dutch Shell pushed back a final investment decision (FID) on its LNG Canada project to late 2016. BILLITON BLT.L
Brazil's Minas Gerais state said on Thursday the November dam burst in an installation operated by miner Samarco, a joint venture between Vale SA VALE5.SA and BHP Billiton, caused losses to municipalities estimated at 1.2 billion reais ($308 million), not considering the environmental problems. STS STS.MI , FINMECCANICA SIFI.MI
Milan prosecutors are looking into Hitachi's agreement to buy a 40 percent stake in Ansaldo STS from Italian defense group Finmeccanica at 9.5 euros per share, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. ITALIA TLIT.MI
TIM Participaçoes, Brazil's second-largest wireless phone company, posted a 3.3 percent rise in fourth-quarter net income despite falling revenues, as it continued selling rights to more of its cellular towers. AST.MI
An Italian consortium, including construction company Astaldi , is close to securing a contract to build the world's largest telescope in the Chilean desert, project owner the European Southern Observatory said on Thursday. STL.OL
The Norwegian oil firm will cut its capital spending to $13 billion in 2016 from $14.7 billion in 2015, and said it would pay its dividends in cash or shares after posting fourth-quarter earnings ahead of expectations. more on the company, click STL.OL
SEB SEBa.ST
The Swedish banking group reported fourth-quarter operating earnings above expectations on Thursday and raised its dividend more than expected. more on the company, click SEBa.ST
NESTE NESTE.HE
State-controlled Finnish refiner Neste reported quarterly profits and dividend proposal ahead of market expectations with the help of high European refining margins and favourable foreign exchange rates.
For more on the company, click NESTE.HE
DNB DNB.OL
Top Norwegian bank DNB announced a bigger than expected increase to its dividend on Thursday after reporting quarterly net earnings in line with forecasts. more on the company, click DNB.OL
METSO MEO1V.HE
The Finnish engineering group posted fourth-quarter profit below market expectations and warned that its overall trading conditions would further weaken this year.
For more on the company, click MEO1V.HE
H. LUNDBECK LUN.CO
Danish pharmaceutical company H. Lundbeck said late on Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee supports the effectiveness of drug Brintellix in treating certain aspects of cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder.
This could lead the FDA to approve the addition of 'improved cognitive function' to Brintellix's information leaflet.
For more on the company, click on LUN.CO
STORA ENSO STERV.HE
The Finnish pulp and paper company is publishing its quarterly results at 1100 GMT. A Reuters poll of analysts expects a 17-percent rise in the company's fourth-quarter operating profit. more on the company, click STERV.HE
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> Asia stocks subdued before US jobs data, dollar wobbles MKTS/GLOB
> U.S. stocks rise for 2nd day; materials a boost .N
> Tokyo's Nikkei share average closes down 1.32 pct .T
> Yields fall as investors position for Friday's jobs data US/N
> Dollar nurses losses as payrolls report looms FRX/
> Gold perched near 3-mth high ahead of US jobs, eyes best week in 4 GOL/
> London copper eyes third week of gains ahead of Lunar New Year MET/L
> Crude oil prices steady in thin Asian trading ahead of Lunar New Year O/R