French and Benelux stocks - Factors to watch on Sept 30

PARIS, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Below are company-related news and leading stories from French and Benelux newspapers which could have an impact on the region's markets or individual stocks.

DANONE (DANO.PA)

French food group Danone said on Tuesday that it was not holding talks with U.S. paediatrics formula maker Mead Johnson (MJN.N) and was not seeking any advice on the issue.

Danone issued the statement after the Financial Times website's Alphavile section said Danone had brought in investment bank Lazard to work on a possible bid for Mead Johnson. [ID:nLT677990]

Separately, Danone said on Wednesday that it would sell its 51 percent stake in its ventures with China's Wahaha group to settle their long-running disputes in an amicable manner. [ID:nBJD003099]

NEOPOST (NPOS.PA)

Postal equipment company Neopost on Tuesday kept its targets for 2009 after posting a 1.2 percent rise in first-half core profit, helped notably by cost control and synergies from acquisitions. [ID:nLT265419]

ALTEN (LTEN.PA)

French IT services group Alten posted on Wednesday a sharp fall in first-half 2009 operating margin to 5.8 percent of sales from 11.6 percent a year-go, hit by a global economic slowdown. The group said business stabilised at end-June but the economic climate remained "vey fragile" and visibility ws low.

SANOFI-AVENTIS (SASY.PA)

Sanofi-Aventis SA is likely to exercise its option to create a massive animal health joint venture with Merck & Co (MRK.N) and expects booming growth for the company's vaccines business, the French drugmaker's chief executive said on Tuesday. [ID:nN29150300]

EDF (EDF.PA)

French power group EDF will join Russian Gazprom's (GAZP.MM) South Stream gas pipeline project by the end of November and will probably take a 10 percent stake in the project, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

RENAULT (RENA.PA)

Renault will relaunch its Espace programme once the car crisis is over, Beatrice Foucher, the product head told Reuters. [ID:nnWEA2876]

FORTIS FOR.BR UBS AG (UBSN.VX) owns a 3.68 stake in Fortis.

For more double click on [FOR.BR]

HARBOURVEST GLOBAL PRIVATE EQUITY LTD (HVPE.AS)

The Dutch-listed private equity firm reports first half results.