European Factors -- Shares set for bounce; ZEW eyed

(Adds futures, more company items, updates snapshot table)

LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - European shares were expected to open higher on
Tuesday, recovering a little of the ground lost in the previous session, when
they suffered their biggest drop in six weeks.

At 0640 GMT, DJ Euro Stoxx STXEc1 futures were up 0.5 percent, Germany's
DAX futures FDXc1 were up 0.4 percent and France's CAC-40 futures FCEc1 were
up 0.6 percent.
On Monday, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of leading European shares
fell 2 percent to 921.96 points, its lowest close since July 29, and its biggest
one-day percentage drop since July 2.
The European benchmark index is still up 42.8 percent from its lifetime low
hit on March 9, as investors have become more confident on the prospects for
recovery. Some analysts say there is not sufficient evidence of economic
recovery to justify the surge.

However, German analyst and investor sentiment is expected to have risen in
August on optimism over improvements in the global economy and the country's key
export sector, a poll showed.

The ZEW think tank's monthly survey of German economic sentiment, to be
released at 0900 GMT, will rise to 45.0 from 39.5 in July, according to the
mid-range forecast in a Reuters poll of 40 analysts.

The German economy pulled out of its deepest recession since World War Two
in the second quarter, expanding unexpectedly by 0.3 percent and boosting hopes
of recovery in the broader euro zone.

Later, investors' attention will switch to data on housing starts in the
United States, due at 1230 GMT.

----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 0628 GMT----------------------

LAST PCT CHG NET CHG

S&P 500 .SPX 979.73 -2.43 % -24.36

NIKKEI .N225 10,284.96 0.16 % 16.35

MSCI ASIA EX-JP .MIASJ0000PUS 416.23 -0.26 % -1.09

EUR/USD EUR= 1.4123 0.36 % 0.0051

USD/JPY JPY= 95.02 0.57 % 0.5400

10-YR US TSY YLD US10YT=RR 3.502 -- 0.03

10-YR BUND YLD EU10YT=RR 3.302 -- 0.01

SPOT GOLD XAU= $939.15 0.68 % $6.35

US CRUDE CLc1 $66.98 0.34 % 0.24

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

* US STOCKS-Wall St sinks as recovery hopes hurt [ID:nN17387696]

* TREASURIES-Edge down as regional stocks stabilise [ID:nT1245]

* GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks bounce, focus on China [ID:nSP476751]

* Yen retreats as stocks offer risk trades respite [ID:nT807]

* Nikkei edges up on short-covering, eyes on China [ID:nT338348]

* METALS-Copper recovers; eyes housing data [ID:nSP473876]

* PRECIOUS-Gold rises as risk aversion moderates [ID:nT319260]

* U.S. oil hits 12-month low on fears of demand slump [ID:nSP365277]

COMPANY ITEMS

RIO TINTO (RIO.L)

Global miner Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) agreed to sell its Alcan packaging unit for
about $2 billion to Australia's Amcor Ltd (AMC.AX), easing its debt burden after
an ill-timed acquisition two years ago. [ID:nSYD430700]

VESTAS (VWS.CO)

The world's biggest wind-turbine maker reported second-quarter EBITDA of 78
million euros, a 15 percent decline on a year earlier.

SCHINDLER (SCHN.S)

Swiss lift and escalator maker Schindler SCHP.S(SCHN.S) posted a flat
first-half net profit on and cautioned a first-half drop in orders would start
to hit results from the fourth quarter of this year.

Net profit edged up 2 percent to 320 million Swiss francs ($297.1 million),
ahead of the 287 million Swiss francs forecast on average in a Reuters poll.
[ID:nLH580946]

BRITISH LAND (BLND.L)

Bluechip property firm British Land (BLND.L) posted a smaller-than-expected
9 percent fall in first-quarter net asset value (NAV), stoking hopes Britain's
emaciated real estate market is finally on the mend. [ID:nL4344519]

ROCHE (ROG.VX)

Swiss-based Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) said a late-stage study showed its
drug Avastin increased the time women with breast cancer lived without the
disease getting worse, when used alongside common chemotherapies. [ID:nLI735852]

RWE (RWEG.DE)

Poland's treasury ministry will conduct exclusive talks with the German
utility for a 67 percent stake in the country's only listed utility, Enea
ENAE.WA, the ministry said on Monday. The stake is worth some $2 billion on
the market. [ID:nWAR010663]

Related news [RWEG.DE-E]

THYSSENKRUPP (TKAG.DE)

Financial investor Triton is the only bidder remaining for Thyssenkrupp's
industrial services unit, which has annual sales of around 1.7 billion euros
($2.40 billion), the Financial Times Deutschland reports citing unnamed
financial sources.

Related news [TKAG.DE-E]

HYPO REAL ESTATE HRXG.DE

German bank rescue fund SoFFin has extended 52 billion euros in framework
guarantees until Nov. 18

Related news [HRXG.DE-E]

RANDSTAD (RAND.AS)

The recruitment company has launched a 125 million euros standby facility
for the securitisation of accounts receivable.

SINGULUS (SNGG.DE)

The Blu-ray and DVD/CD assembly line specialist said its CEO Stefan A.
Baustert is leaving the company as of Aug. 31 and will be replaced by Roland
Lacher as interim CEO until March 31, 2010.

Related news [SNGG.DE-E]

TRYGVESTA (TRYG.CO)

Denmark's biggest insurer said premium growth in first half was 8.6 percent,
higher than expected.

SNS REAAL GROEP (SR.AS)

The Dutch bancassurer reported a surprise net loss on impairments in its
property finance business and said it was too soon to say when it would be able
to repay the state aid it received in late 2008. [nLI251637]

BBVA (BBVA.MC)

Spain's second largest bank is interested in the sale of US bank Guaranty
Financial Group GFG.N, which is also being eyed by several private equity
group, El Economista reported without citing a source.

GDF SUEZ (GSZ.PA)

The French utility and Australia's Santos Ltd (STO.AX) have set up a joint
venture to develop a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project off northwest
Australia in GDF's first foray into Asia. [ID:nSYD474402]

CAIRN ENERGY (CNE.L)

Energy explorer Cairn India Ltd (CAIL.BO) plans to produce 125,000 barrels a
day of crude in the first half of 2010, Chairman Bill Gammell said on Tuesday.

The company, a unit of UK explorer Cairn Energy (CNE.L), last month said it
would pump its first crude from its Rajasthan fields in August, priced initially
at a 10-15 percent discount to Brent LCOc1.

(Reporting by Brian Gorman)