RPT-German stocks - Factors to watch on December 14

FRANKFURT Dec 14 (Reuters) - The DAX top-30 index .GDAXI looked set to open 1.3 percent higher on Monday, according to premarket data from brokers at 0731 GMT.

The following are some of the factors that may move German stocks (share price indications at 0721 GMT):

DAIMLER AG (DAIGn.DE)

Indicated 1.1 percent higher

The luxury carmaker expects double-digit growth in its North Asia sales next year, the chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia said on Monday. [ID:nTOE5BD02S]

Related news [DAIGn.DE-E]

VOLKSWAGEN (VOWG.DE)

Indicated 1.0 percent higher

Europe's largest automaker, which recently took a stake in Suzuki Motor Corp (7269.T) to step up its presence in India, said on Saturday it aims to grab 8-10 percent of the country's market share in the next 4-6 years. [ID:nSGE5BD02I]

Separately, Barron's magazine said the automaker's position in China and other emerging growth markets could help it navigate price wars that may develop as car-buying incentives in Western nations evaporate. [ID:nN13131411]

Related news [VOWG.DE-E]

BMW (BMWG.DE)

Indicated 1.1 percent higher

The carmaker plans to raise its market share in Germany next year with the help of better-than-expected X1 compact SUV sales and its recently introduced 5 series GT sedan, its head of Germany operations told German newspaper Tagesspiegel.

Related news [BMWG.DE-E]

E.ON (EONGn.DE)

Indicated 1.2 percent higher

E.ON might take an 8 percent stake in France's second new generation EPR nuclear power plant, French daily Le Figaro said on Monday. [ID:nLDE5BD04Q]

Related news [EONGn.DE-E]

SIEMENS (SIEGn.DE)

Indicated 1.6 percent higher

Three U.S. pension funds are contesting settlements that the company struck with former executives to recoup some costs of a bribery scandal, Focus magazine reported, citing a lawyer representing the investors.

Separately, Der Spiegel reported that German authorities are investigating shipments of Siemens technology to Iran to see if they may have violated export control laws. [ID:nGEE5BB09R]

Related news [SIEGn.DE-E]

BAYER (BAYGn.DE)

Indicated 0.5 percent higher

CEO Werner Wenning told Rheinische Post Bayer was close to a deal with labour that would rule out forced layoffs in 2010 in return for staff being more flexible about where they work.

Separately, U.S. researchers said Nexavar or sorafenib, made by Bayer and its development partner Onyx Pharmaceuticals (ONXX.O), helped re-sensitize breast cancer to treatment with aromatase inhibitors, drugs given to post-menopausal women with hormone-sensitive breast cancers. [ID:nN11160109]

Related news [BAYGn.DE-E]

THYSSENKRUPP (TKAG.DE)

Indicated 1.7 percent higher

The company said it was in exclusive talks with Abu Dhabi MAR about taking a stake in the HDW submarines unit, adding it was unaware of talks reported by Der Spiegel magazine that the German government was sounding out potential German buyers for the unit. Spiegel reported the German economy minister is trying to prevent a stake in HDW being sold to a foreign investor and has found to domestic investors showing interest.

Related news [TKAG.DE-E]

LUFTHANSA (LHAG.DE), FRAPORT (FRAG.DE)

Lufthansa seen up 1.2 percent, Fraport up 0.8 percent

Fighting to head off a looming ban on night flights at its Frankfurt hub, Lufthansa will challenge a German court ruling that blocked an earlier appeal by the airline, a company spokesman said on Sunday. [ID:nLDE5BC08X]

Related news [LHAG.DE-E][FRAG.DE-E]

SALZGITTER (SZGG.DE)

Indicated 1.1 percent higher

Germany's second-biggest steelmaker is on track to hit its 2009 financial targets after pretax profits in the previous two months, CFO Heinz-Joerg Fuhrmann told Reuters. [ID:WEA5347]

Related news [SZGG.DE-E]

GERMAN BANKS

Austria nationalised Hypo Group Alpe Adria, taking over 100 percent of Hypo from BayernLB [BAYLB.UL] and other shareholders on Monday to avert a bank collapse. [ID:nLDE5BD00D]

Separately, Bundesbank board member Hans-Helmut Kotz told the Euro am Sonntag that the central bank's estimate German banks may have to write down 50-75 billion euros in bad loans was made before the economic outlook turned more favourable. "It may turn out somewhat better," he said. [ID:nGEE5AO1RS]