European Shares seen higher; focus on charts

LONDON (Reuters) - European stock index futures pointed to slightly firmer start for equities on Thursday, but investors are expected to stay cautious following weak U.S. data and the market's failure to break key resistance levels.

Futures for the STOXX Europe 50, for Germany's DAX and for France's CAC were up 0.2 to 0.4 percent.

Investors waited for U.S. weekly jobless claims data, due at 8:30 a.m. ET, and more company results for direction.

Telefonica (TEF.MC), the euro zone's largest telecom by market capitalization, posted better-than-expected first-half profit on Thursday as strength at its foreign businesses compensated for continued weakness in its recession-hit home unit Spain.

German chemicals maker BASF BASF.DE surpassed analysts' earnings expectations for the sixth straight quarter, bolstered by a rebound in the car and electronics industries.

U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday after weak durable goods figures and a downbeat assessment of the economy from the Fed's Beige Book kept the benchmark S&P 500 trapped below its 200-day moving average.

"U.S. economic data remains something of a concern for equity traders across the globe with both the Fed's beige book and the durable goods order numbers released yesterday adding to the ongoing theme of disappointment here," said Ben Potter, research analyst at IG Markets.

"With August around the corner and Europe slowing down for the summer, it's all too easy to start thinking that an air of indifference may be about to grip the markets."

On Wednesday, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares closed 0.3 percent lower, while the Euro STOXX 50 .STOXX50E, the euro zone's blue-chip index, ended down 0.1 percent at 2,766.11 points after rising to 2,791.24 points, where it ran into major resistance.

Tokyo's Nikkei .N225 fell 0.6 percent on Thursday.

COMPANY NEWS

SIEMENS (SIEGn.DE)

The industrial conglomerate said third-quarter total sector profit reached 2.33 billion euros, beating the 2.1 billion analyst forecast.

BASF BASF.DE

The world's largest chemicals maker said second-quarter adjusted EBIT reached 2.2 billion euros, beating analysts' average forecast.

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL (RDSa.L)

It said second-quarter current cost of supply (CCS) net income jumped 94 percent to $4.53 billion thanks to a strong operating environment and a speedy restructuring of the oil giant.

BAYER (BAYGn.DE)

The German drugmaker said second-quarter net profit was 525 million euros, below the analyst forecast of 768 million euros.

BP (BP.L)

BP may permanently shut the well that caused the worst off-shore oil spill in U.S. history as early as Monday, the company said as speculation also grew over assets it might sell to cover mounting costs.

SANOFI-AVENTIS (SASY.PA)

The company plans to make a formal offer of up to $18.7 billion for Genzyme GENZ.O after its informal overture failed to strike interest, sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The board of Sanofi met in Paris on Wednesday and authorized management to make a formal offer of up to $70 per share for Genzyme, sources said.

TELEFONICA (TEF.MC)

Telefonica reported a better than expected set of first half results and reiterated 2012 targets this morning.

SOLARWORLD (SWVG.DE)

Germany's biggest solar company by sales, is confident the global solar market can grow in 2011 despite subsidy cuts for the sector, as it posted higher-than-expected quarterly results.

SANTANDER (SAN.MC)

* Says H1 net profit 4.45 billion euros versus 4.48. * Says bad loans reach 3.37 percent end-June versus 3.34 percent end-March.

PUBLICIS (PUBP.PA)

The world's third-largest advertising group by revenue posted better than expected first-half results and raised its outlook as the global advertising industry recovers.

ERAMET (ERMT.PA)

* Says H1 sales 1.788 billion euros * Says H1 net income 175 million euros * Says outlook for the 2nd half of 2010 is uncertain * Says group's markets are likely to be volatile, given inventory reduction. ERMT.PA-LEN-RTRS

MERCK KGAA (MRCG.DE)

The German family-controlled drugmaker said second-quarter operating profit came in at 326 million euros, above the analyst forecast.

SOFTWARE AG (SOWG.DE)

The German business software company said second-quarter sales reached 267 million euros, beating the 263 million analyst forecast.

STATOIL (STL.OL)

Europe's second-largest energy firm posted second-quarter adjusted operating earnings of 36.4 billion Norwegian crowns, missing a mean forecast of 38.2 billion seen in a Reuters poll of analysts, and cut its 2012 equity production target.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash)