STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-SAP gains on BoA-Merrill upgrade

Shares in German business software maker SAP (SAPG.DE) rise 3 percent to the top of Germany's DAX top-30 index .GDAXI, after Banc of America-Merrill Lynch upgrades the stock to "buy" from "neutral".

"Given the low expectation level we do not see negative surprises from the second quarter. From Q3 onwards (comparisons) for the company should get easier, which will help improve sentiment on the name," the broker writes in a note.

SAP is scheduled to release Q2 results on July 29.

Reuters Messaging rm://christoph.steitz.reuters.com@reuters.net