Max factors to Watch-Shares to extend losses on Fed concerns

European shares were set to fall for a fourth straight day to a three-week low on Thursday as minutes of the U.S. central bank's last policy meeting failed to quell concerns about a cut in stimulus from next month.
    But losses were seen limited by likely strength in the mining sector after
data showed that factory activity in China, the world's biggest metals consumer,
hit a four-month high in August. Prices of key industrial metals such as copper
 and aluminium rose 0.6 to 1.3 percent. 
    Futures for the Euro STOXX 50, Britain's FTSE 100,
Germany's DAX and France's CAC were 0.1 to 0.2 percent lower as
sentiment became more bearish after the Federal Reserve minutes. 
    The minutes, released late on Wednesday, provided few clues on the potential
timing for a reduction in bond purchases and did not mention September
specifically, but they did little to discourage predictions. 
    "The fact is market consensus has been calling for an announcement in
September with regards to lowering the pace of Fed bond buying programme for
some time ... we feel the FOMC minutes pretty much rubber-stamped that view,"
Chris Weston, chief market strategist at IG said in a note.
    Investors will keep a close eye on the macroeconomic numbers for hints about
the timing of the Fed's likely move to lower liquidity and the stock market's
near-term direction.
    Focus will be on U.S. weekly jobless claims for the week ended Aug. 17 at
1230 GMT and Markit's manufacturing PMI for August at 1258 GMT. Economists
forecast a total of 330,000 new jobless claims filings, up from 320,000 in the
prior week and a PMI reading of 54.0, against 53.7 in the final July report.
    In Europe, German manufacturing PMI index, due at 0728 GMT, is likely to
rise to 51.2 from 50.7, while the euro zone's manufacturing PMI index, to be
published at 0758 GMT, is seen edging higher to 50.8 from 50.3.
    "I expect markets to pay more attention to today's figures, with a negative
result potentially acting to support a push higher in the markets. Any sign that
tapering will not come until December is likely to be welcomed for now," Craig
Erlam, analyst at Alpari, said.
    Earnings reports would continue to move shares of individual companies.
According to Thomson Reuters StarMine, 90 percent companies on the STOXX Europe
600 have reported second-quarter results, of which 46 percent have
missed expectations, while the rest have met or beaten. In the previous quarter,
48 percent companies missed forecasts. 
    Dutch grocer Ahold reported higher-than-expected operating profit,
helped by cost cuts and better deals from suppliers. But Swiss dental implant
maker Nobel Biocare said profit tumbled 42 percent on an unfavourable
currency impact and a one-off restructuring charge. 
    The FTSEurofirst 300 index fell 0.6 percent on Wednesday, when U.S.
stocks   dropped 0.4 to 0.7 percent. On Thursday, the MSCI
index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell more than 1
percent to a six-week low, while Japan's Nikkei was down 0.4 percent.
     
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    MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 0619 GMT:
                                                  LAST      PCT CHG   NET CHG
     S&P 500                                  1,642.80      -0.58 %     -9.55
     NIKKEI                                  13,365.17      -0.44 %    -59.16
     MSCI ASIA EX-JP                            496.13      -1.27 %     -6.39
     EUR/USD                                    1.3339      -0.13 %   -0.0017
     USD/JPY                                     98.26       0.61 %    0.6000
     10-YR US TSY YLD                            2.918           --      0.03
     10-YR BUND YLD                              1.920           --      0.04
     SPOT GOLD                               $1,361.60       -0.3 %    -$4.14
     US CRUDE                                  $103.64       -0.2 %     -0.21
  > Asian markets struggle to live with higher borrowing costs       
  > Wall St falls after Fed minutes yield few clues                         
  > Nikkei eases, but early losses pared by China data and weak yen         
  > Yields rise as Fed pullback seen on track                             
  > Dollar up on Fed tapering view; China data supports Aussie            
  > Gold slips for second day on stimulus worries                         
  > Copper climbs after China data fuels hopes for demand recovery       
  > Brent stays above $109 after China data; Libya weighs                  
    
       
    AHOLD 
    Dutch grocer Ahold on Thursday reported higher-than-expected operating
profit for the second quarter, supported by internal cost cuts and better deals
from suppliers. 
    
    NOBEL BIOCARE HOLDING 
    The Swiss dental implant maker said second-quarter profit tumbled 42
percent, dragged down by a one-off restructuring charge and an unfavourable
currency impact. 
    
    EURONEXT 
    IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) has hired three banks to advise on
the listing of Euronext, whose sale is crucial to its $8.2 billion takeover of
NYSE Euronext, three sources familiar with the situation said.
 
    
    VOLKSWAGEN 
    Germany's Volkswagen is expected to announce later this year an initial 200
million euro ($268.53 million) investment to build an automobile plant in
Indonesia, an Indonesian government minister said. 
    
    RTL 
    The company said on Thursday it planned to pay an interim-dividend of 2.50
euros per share, citing strong cash flows in the first half of the year after
its operating profit (EBITA) rose 9 percent. 
    
    SALZGITTER 
    Germany's steelmakers should band together to buy raw materials, much like
Chinese rivals do, the chairman of the steelmaker was quoted as saying in
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung on Thursday. Rainer Thieme also said he could
not rule out a closure of the loss-making Peine plant. 
    
    RAIFFEISEN BANK INTERNATIONAL 
    Second-quarter profit at the bank fell by a quarter to 120 million euros
($160 million), emerging Europe's second-biggest lender said on Thursday,
missing market estimates.