Bayer, Continental, MAN, Manz, Postbank: German Equity Preview

By Stefanie Haxel

Sept. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual price changes in Germany. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are from the previous close.

The DAX Index rallied 5.6 percent to 6,189.53.

Bayer AG (BAY GY): Germany's biggest drugmaker said patients who took the Betaferon multiple sclerosis treatment at the first sign of the disease showed a reduced risk of disability five years later. Bayer rose 2.85 euros, or 5.2 percent, to 57.53.

Continental AG (CON GY): Michelin & Cie. is interested in buying the tire business of Europe's second-largest car-parts maker if it's put up for sale, WirtschaftsWoche said, citing Michelin Chief Executive Officer Michel Rollier. The shares dropped 2 cents to 71 euros.

Conergy AG (CGY GY): Germany's second-largest solar company plans to sell two units by the end of this year to focus on its sales and project business, Tagesspiegel said, citing company spokesman Alexander Leinhos. The shares advanced 60 cents, or 7.7 percent, to 8.37 euros.

Daimler AG (DAI GY): The world's second-largest maker of luxury cars plans to raises prices for its Mercedes brand truck 3 percent to set off inflation and pass on higher raw material costs, Automobilwoche reported, citing Stefan Buchner, head of procurement at Daimler Trucks and Buses. The shares gained 2.455 euros, or 6.6 percent, to 39.465.

Deutsche Postbank AG (DPB GY): Germany's biggest consumer bank by clients faces warning strikes in seven German cities ahead of a third round of negotiations about pay. The shares rose 1.76 euros, or 5 percent, to 36.76 euros.

MAN AG (MAN GY): Europe's third-largest truckmaker expects orders to rise at its commercial-vehicle unit MAN Nutzfahrzeuge next year, Euro am Sonntag said, citing the division's management board member Karl Viktor Schaller.

Separately, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge expects to sell a record 100,000 trucks this year and plans to raise truck prices to pass on higher raw material costs to customers, Automobilwoche said, citing the unit's Chief Executive Officer Anton Weinmann. The shares climbed 7 euros, or 15 percent, to 53.70.

Manz Automation AG (M5Z GY): The maker of automation systems for solar cells and LCD panels aims to raise its profit margin to 15 percent of sales, from 11.8 percent now, by the end of 2009, WirtschaftsWoche reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Dieter Manz. The shares surged 19.51 euros, or 18 percent, to 125.51.

To contact the reporter on this story: Stefanie Haxel in Frankfurt at shaxel@bloomberg.net