UPDATE 1-SocGen brings forward Q3 results, seeks to reassure

* Q3 results brought forward to Nov. 3

* SocGen says Q3 to be in line with previous guidance

(Adds more details, background)

By Sudip Kar-Gupta

PARIS, Oct 31 (Reuters) - French bank Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) brought forward publication of its third-quarter results to Nov. 3 on Friday. The bank said it would meet earlier guidance as it sought to reassure investors.

"We will announce Q3 results in line with what we have previously said," a SocGen spokeswoman said. The bank was originally due to publish earnings on Nov. 6.

SocGen has been dogged in recent weeks by market speculation that it may have suffered losses on trading operations, although the bank has repeatedly sought to reassure its shareholders.

Earlier this month SocGen predicted a third-quarter net attributable profit of 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion), excluding non-recurring items.

The bank added it would remain profitable at the net level, even when including charges related to the September collapse of Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers (LEHMQ.PK).

Chief Executive Frederic Oudea told RTL radio this week that he was "extremely confident and relaxed" about SocGen's ability to meet its financial obligations.

The bank also said it had no open trading position on German carmaker Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) following market reports of speculation that SocGen might have lost money as a result of being caught on the wrong side of a trade in VW shares.

Volkswagen stock unexpectedly surged this week after rival Porsche (PSHG_p.DE) revealed it had acquired an effective stake of over 74 percent.

SHAKY EMERGING MARKETS

Investors have also expressed concern over SocGen's exposure to eastern Europe, where countries such as Ukraine have sought to borrow money from the International Monetary Fund after taking hits from the global credit crunch.

Earlier this year SocGen bought Ukraine's Ikar Bank and the French bank also has a majority stake in Russia's Rosbank.

Investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Ltd (KBW) said in a research note this week it was forecasting a third-quarter net profit of 809 million euros for SocGen, down 28 percent from last year.

SocGen will kick off the third-quarter results season from France's top banks. BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA), France's biggest listed bank, publishes results on Nov. 5. Credit Agricole (CAGR.PA), France's biggest retail bank, posts results on Nov. 13.

The credit crisis has crippled the earnings of the world's top banks.

Earlier this month, U.S. bank Wachovia Corp WB.N posted a record third-quarter loss of $23.9 billion, although Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) had a third-quarter profit due to new accounting rules enabling it to cut its writedowns.

SocGen shares closed up 6.5 percent at 42.18 euros on Friday, giving it a market capitalisation of around 25 billion euros. Its shares have fallen around 55 percent since the start of the year, broadly in line with a 53 percent fall in the DJ Stoxx European bank index .SX7P.

In January SocGen fell victim to the world's worst rogue trading scandal when it unveiled 4.9 billion euros of losses which it said were caused by unauthorised trades conducted by Jerome Kerviel, a 31-year old junior trader at the bank. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by James Regan and Greg Mahlich)