Air France, Reed Elsevier, Santander: Europe Equity Preview

By Nadja Brandt

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes in European trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are from the previous close.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 added 2.2 percent to 225.25. The Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index climbed 2.2 percent to 2,306.65. The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark for the nations using the euro, advanced 2.1 percent to 2,654.74.

Air France-KLM Group (AF FP): Europe’s biggest airline posted a first-quarter loss of 431 million euros ($606 million) as the recession cut demand for air travel and cargo transport. Analysts expected a loss of 194 million euros, according to the median of five estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The shares advanced 24.7 cents, or 2.8 percent, to 9.21 euros.

Areva SA (CEI FP): The world’s biggest builder of nuclear reactors said sales rose 6 percent to 6.5 billion euros in the first half. The shares fell 4.50 euros, or 1.1 percent, to 402.50 euros.

Assicurazioni Generali SpA (G IM): The Italian insurer releases first-half earnings. The shares rose 38 cents, or 2.4 percent, to 16.26 euros.

Banco Santander SA (SAN SM): Spain’s largest lender and its rival Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BBVA SM) got their credit ratings cut by Moody’s Investors Service citing a deterioration of their largest markets including Spain. Santander rose 0.14 euros, or 1.47 percent, to 10.01 euros. BBVA stock rose 0.39 euros, or 3.57 percent, to 11.32 euros.

Colruyt NV (COLR BB): Belgium’s biggest discount food retailer said first-quarter revenue rose 6.6 percent to 1.67 billion euros, matching analyst estimates. Colruyt rose 2.50 euros, or 1.6 percent, to 156.65 euros.

Continental AG (CON GY): Chief Executive Officer Karl- Thomas Neumann has resigned after failing to push through a capital increase, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung said in an article on its Web site. The newspaper did not say where it obtained the information, and said a spokeswoman had declined to confirm the report. A spokeswoman said she couldn’t confirm or deny a Sueddeutsche Zeitung report when contacted by Bloomberg News. The shares added 5.5 percent to 27.11 euros.

L’Oreal SA (OR FP): The world’s largest cosmetics maker said second-quarter sales rose 2.6 percent to 4.4 billion euros as increased demand in Asia and Latin America offset inventory cuts by European distributors. Analysts expected sales of 4.38 billion euros, according to the median of seven estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The shares climbed 97 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 58.25 euros.

Reed Elsevier NV (REN NA): The publisher of Variety and New Scientist said total gross proceeds from two share sales were about 824 million pounds ($1.36 billion). Reed Elsevier tumbled 1.05 euros, or 13 percent, to 7.30 euros.

Volkswagen AG (VOW GY): The carmaker’s Audi unit is scheduled to report second-quarter results. Volkswagen shares increased 5.7 percent to 255.43 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nadja Brandt in Los Angeles at nbrandt@bloomberg.net