French and Benelux stocks - Factors to watch on Oct 5

PARIS Oct 5 (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.

TOTAL (TOTF.PA)/GDF (GSZ.PA)/ENTREPOSE (ENTC.PA)/VINCI

French energy groups Total and GDF Suez are set to sign a deal worth around 1 billion euros ($1.5 billion) over the Khvalynskoye gas field, said a source from the French Presidential office.

The source added that French group Spie Capag, which is a unit of Vinci's (SGEF.PA) Entrepose Contracting (ENTC.PA), was in exclusive talks with Kazakhstan over building an oil pipeline.

For details, see [ID:nN02332630]

FRANCE TELECOM (FTE.PA)

Europe's third-largest telecoms operator on Monday named Stephane Richard as deputy CEO in charge of operations in France, in replacement of Pierre-Louis Wenes.

The move comes after a wave of suicides at France Telecom that labour unions blame on poor working conditions.

In May, Richard, a top aide to France's economy minister, was named to the management team of France Telecom, starting the clock ticking on Didier Lombard's succession at the head of the group. For more details, see [ID:nWEA3631].

BNP PARIBAS (BNPP.PA)/FORTIS FOR.BR

The European Commission on Friday extended until Oct. 19 the deadline for the planned merger of ABN AMRO [ABNNV.UL] and Fortis Bank Nederland [FORTH.UL] to allow for implementation of remedies to address competition concerns.

For more details, see [ID:nL2343818]

LVMH (LVMH.PA)

Luxury executives voiced optimism about the outlook for LVMH (LVMH.PA) and Dior at Paris fashion week on Friday, thanks partly to strong growth in Asia.

For more details, see [ID:nL2308071].

EADS (EAD.PA)

Germany's Free Democrats (FDP) want to save money by scaling back an order for the Airbus (EAD.PA) A400M military transport plane when they join the incoming government, an FDP budget expert said. For more details, see [ID:nL2074344].

Malaysian Star newspaper reported on Monday that low cost carrier AirAsia (AIRA.KL) is to defer eight more Airbus A320-200 aircraft. For more details, see [ID:nKLR506230].

VEOLIA (VIE.PA)

Utility group said it was keeping its 2009 targets, after its shares fell 5 percent on Friday due to market rumours that Veolia was lowering its guidance.

AREVA CEPFi.PA

La Tribune reported that Areva would decide which bid to choose for its T&D business on November 16. An Areva spokesman declined to comment on the report.

EDF (EDF.PA)

EDF said it is open to nuclear partnerships in the UK, after a newspaper reported the French energy company is seeking to sell a 20 percent stake in UK generator British Energy for up to 3.2 billion pounds ($5.1 billion)

VIVENDI (VIV.PA)

General Electric Co (GE.N) and Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O), working on a deal to spin off GE's NBC Universal, have valued it at $30 billion, including $9 billion of debt, a source close to the talks told Reuters on Friday.

The two sides hope to get a deal done in two to three weeks, CNBC reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the talks. But the person close to the talks told Reuters an agreement was unlikely within that timeframe.[ID:nN02332764]