European Factors-- Futures point to mixed open; inflation eyed

LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - European stock index futures pointed to a mixed
open on Monday, after U.S. and Asian shares rallied and oil dipped, and as
investors focused on eurozone inflation data.

Futures for the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 STXEc1 were flat, futures for Germany's
DAX FDXc1 were up 0.2 percent, while France's CAC FCEc1 futures were down
0.1 percent.

U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, helped by a government report that
showed underlying price pressures rose moderately in May, easing fears that
inflation would force a near-term rise in interest rates. Asian stocks rallied
on Monday, with Japan's Nikkei .N225 adding 2.8 percent.

Eurozone CPI data is due at 0900 GMT.

"There's a chance of a reasonable bounce today but I'm not sure one would
put too much sustainability on it. It's a bounce with a bit of string on it,"
said Justin Urquhart Stewart, investment director at Seven Investment
Management.

"There's a patch of blue sky on a Monday morning but, as the forecast says,
'beware, heavy showers later.'"

----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 0637 GMT----------------------

LAST PCT CHG NET CHG

S&P 500 .SPX 1,360.03 1.5 % 20.16

NIKKEI .N225 14,354.37 2.72 % 380.64

MSCI ASIA EX-JP .MIASJ0000PUS 515.51 1.72 % 8.71

EUR/USD EUR= 1.5374 -0.23 % -0.0035

USD/JPY JPY= 108.41 0.34 % 0.3700

10-YR US TSY YLD US10YT=RR 4.253 -- -0.01

10-YR BUND YLD EU10YT=RR 4.667 -- 0.01

SPOT GOLD XAU= $867.85 -0.34 % -$2.95

US CRUDE CLc1 $134.04 -0.61 % -0.82

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
* US STOCKS-Market rallies as tame CPI calms inflation fear [ID:nL15482354]
* Nikkei up 2.6 pct, exporters rise on weaker yen [ID:nT38197]
* Asia stocks rally as oil falls below $134 [ID:nSP181426]
* Dollar near 4-mth high vs yen, sheds post-G8 loss [ID:nT36900]
* TREASURIES-2-yr yields in biggest weekly jump in 26 years [nL15145598]
* Gold creeps higher on investor buying, dollar [ID:nSP178928]
* Oil falls, Saudi pushing output to highest since '81 [ID:nSYD220885]

COMPANY NEWS:

DEUTSCHE POSTBANK (DPBGn.DE), LLOYDS TSB (LLOY.L)

Postbank's majority owner Deutsche Post is in no hurry to reach a decision
on a possible sale of the bank, Chief Executive Frank Appel told Reuters in an
interview. [ID:nL15504737]

Separately, the Sunday Telegraph reported that Britain's Lloyds TSB (LLOY.L)
is in the early stages of considering a takeover bid for Postbank.
[ID:nL15692956]

Related news [DPWGn.DE-E]

BARCLAYS (BARC.L)

British bank Barclays (BARC.L) confirmed that it is considering raising new
funds by selling shares in a placing and pre-emptive offer to existing
shareholders. The bank also said its pretax profit in May was well ahead of the
monthly run rate for 2007. [ID:nL16729000]

BHP BILLITON (BLT.L), RIO TINTO (RIO.L)

Rio Tinto can exploit China's booming demand for resources on its own and
does not need a merger with rival BHP Billiton, Rio Chief Executive Tom Albanese
said on Monday. [ID:nSYB004438]

The head of combined Australian miners Zinifex Ltd ZFX.AX and Oxiana Ltd
OXR.AX said on Monday the merged company could be interested in any assets BHP
may have to sell in its bid to acquire fellow miner Rio. [ID:nSYU004552]

BRITISH ENERGY BGY.L

EDF (EDF.PA) has made its final takeover offer for British Energy and if its
nearly seven pound-a-share offer is rejected it will walk away, the Mail on
Sunday quoted sources close to the deal as saying.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph said the 11 billion pound auction of British
Energy could be abandoned in favour of a series of joint ventures with Europe's
leading power companies, according to plans being considered by the UK nuclear
operator.

INBEV INTB.BR

The Belgian brewer warned U.S. rival Anheuser-Busch BUD.N on Sunday that
it should fully explore its $46 billion takeover offer before striking out to do
any potential deal with Mexico's Modelo (GMODELOC.MX). [ID:nN15436209]

COMMERZBANK (CBKG.DE)

Supervisory board member Uwe Tschaege is sceptical about a merger with
Dresdner Bank. "The bank has done well even in difficult times," he told Euro am
Sonntag. Related news [CBKG.DE-E]

GAZ DE FRANCE GAZ.PA SUEZ (LYOE.PA)

Gaz de France and Suez said on Monday French market watchdog AMF approved
their merger document. They also confirmed targets for EBITDA of around 17
billion euros by 2010.

VOLKSWAGEN (VOWG.DE)

Volkswagen won permission from European Commission competition regulators on
Friday to acquire Swedish truckmaker Scania (SCVb.ST) in a $4 billion deal.
[ID:nBFA000663]

Separately, Der Spiegel magazine reported that VW's planned Golf VI could
only generate a margin of 3.4 percent compared with an initial target of 8
percent. A VW spokesman said the company would reach its margin target -- which
sources said is around 5 percent -- when it launches the car.

Related news [VOWG.DE-E]

ZODIAC SA (ZODC.PA)

The French aeronautics supplier reported a 0.4 percent decline in nine-month
sales on Monday, hit by a weak dollar. [ID:nL16707903]

NESTLE (NESN.VX)

Nestle Chairman Peter Brabeck does not expect the group to make any
acquisitions larger than $200 million to $300 million in the near term due to a
lack of attractive targets, he was quoted as saying on Sunday.

For related news, please click on [NESN.VX-LEN-RTRS]

UBS (UBSN.VX)

U.S. authorities have sought legal assistance from Switzerland's Federal
Office of Justice in an investigation into tax evasion through offshore bank
accounts at UBS, Swiss media reported on Sunday.

For related news, please click on [UBSN.VX-LEN-RTRS]

ASMI (ASMI.AS) (ASMI.O)

Chip equipment maker Applied Materials (AMAT.O) said it remained interested
in buying some businesses of Dutch rival ASM International and wants to enter
discussions on possible transactions. [ID:nL16708221]

FORTIS (FOR.BR)

The Belgian-Dutch financial services group is having trouble selling parts
of the ABN AMRO business it acquired last year, making it difficult for Fortis
to meet its own July 1 deadline for the sale to comply with antitrust concerns,
Dutch daily Telegraaf reports.

For more, double click on [FOR.BR]

SUEDZUCKER (SZUG.DE)

Germany's second-biggest sugar refiner, Nordzucker, sees a price of between
700 million and 1 billion euros ($1.1-1.5 billion) for the sugar arm of Danish
group Danisco (DCO.CO) as realistic, its CEO told the Frankfurter Allgemeine
Zeitung newspaper. [ID:nL13822779]

Related news [SZUG.DE-E]

PARMALAT (PLT.MI), CREDIT SUISSE (CSGN.VX), UBS (UBSN.VX)

Parmalat said on Friday it had settled all its legal disputes with Credit
Suisse (CSGN.VX) and UBS (UBSN.VX) stemming from Parmalat's collapse in 2003.
[ID:nL13670326]

STEELMAKERS (TKAG.DE) (SZGG.DE)

European steelmakers have agreed to pay between 1,970 and 2,050 euros per
tonne for ferro-manganese in the third quarter, a European trader told Reuters
late on Friday. That is above the 1,400 to 1,600 per tonne paid for
ferro-manganese MNG-FERRO-LON in the second quarter. [ID:nL13409773] [STL-E]

(Reporting by Rebekah Curtis)