French and Benelux stocks-Factors to watch on Jan 20

PARIS Jan 20 (Reuters) - Below are company-related news and stories from French and Benelux media which could have an impact on the region's markets or individual stocks.

AREVA

A probe into Areva's $2.5 billion acquisition of uranium miner UraMin was not politically driven, the head of mining at the French state-owned nuclear company told Le Figaro on Friday.

GDF SUEZ, CNP ASSURANCES

A consortium including CNP Assurances and a unit of GDF Suez is among expected bidders for German energy group E.ON's gas distribution network, sources close to the process said.

SAFRAN

The French aerospace and defence group is mulling a possible offer for Italian aero-engine parts maker Avio, a source close to the matter said.

AIRBUS

Hong Kong's dominant carrier Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said on Friday that it has signed a deal to buy six Airbus A350-900 aircraft with a basic price of $1.628 billion for delivery between 2016 and 2017.

Separately, the planemaker insisted its A380 superjumbo is safe to fly after another set of cracks was discovered in the wings of the world's largest jetliner, though an engineering union said it was downplaying the issue and some Asian airlines said they would develop inspection programs.

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