Trader Talk: An Analysis of the Markets this Morning

Good morning,

European stock-index futuresretreated, signaling the Stoxx Europe 600 Index will halt its longest winning streak this year, as companies from BNP Paribas SA to Zurich Insurance Group AG reported earnings that missed estimates. Asian shares and U.S. stock-index futures declined.

BNP Paribas may be active after France’s largest bank unexpectedly reported a drop in fourth-quarter profit. Zurich Insurance may move after the biggest Swiss insurer’s earnings missed analyst projections. Rio Tinto Group may move after the world’s second-largest mining company said full-year profit jumped 10 percent, beating estimates.

Stock to watch: BNP

BNP Paribas SA, France’s largest bank, reported a surprise drop in fourth-quarter profit after setting aside $1.1 billion tied to a review of payments to parties subject to U.S. economic sanctions. Net income fell to 127 million euros ($173 million) from 519 million euros a year earlier, the Paris-based bank said today. It was the lowest result since the fourth quarter of 2008, when the bank posted a loss, and missed the 1.02 billion-euro average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

WHAT TO WATCH:

• IMF Disburses $1.24 Billion to Portugal as Outlook Improves

• Spain Said to Ask Banks to Accept Losses on Loans for Highways

• SocGen Economist Brings Forward Forecast For BOE Raising Rate

• U.K. Jan. RICS House Price Index at 53 vs Est. 58

• Nordea CEO Says Swedes Can Withstand 10% Housing Market Slump

• Royal Mail, Asos, Inter Pipeline, Seiko Epson to Join MSCI World

• Faroe May Buy $400m in Norway Oil Assets to Double Output

• Glencore-Macquarie Said to Exit Race for Shell Australia Assets

• Emperador Invests 3.7B Pesos to Expand Spain Brandy Production

• Deutsche Asset Mgmt, Prelios Sell DGAG Portfolio to Immofinanz

• Immofinanz Approves Proposal for Spinoff Buwog

• Cinven, Investindustrial Said to Look at Assicurazioni’s BSI: WSJ

• Zurich Insurance in Talks to Sell Malaysia Unit Stake: Star

• Viva Aerobus Says Jet-Purchase Plan Intact After IPO Put on Hold

• Danone Weighs Sale of Tube Feeding Unit: Reuters

• Corio FY Net Rental Income EU379.7m vs EU397.5m Y/y

• AstraZeneca, Teva Win End of Lawsuit over Nexium Settlements

• Ireland’s NTMA Plans to Sell EU4b of Bonds in Auction Series

• Letta Challenges Renzi in Appeal to Save Government in Italy

• Thames Flood Risk to Increase as U.K. Girds for More Rain, Wind

• Osborne to Urge Scots to Reject Independence in Favor of Pound

EARNINGS All times CET

• ABB (ABBN VX) 6am Preview

• BNP Paribas (BNP FP) 7am Preview

• Commerzbank (CBK GR) 7:15am

• Electricite de France (EDF FP) 7:30am

• Eni (ENI IM) 7:30am Preview

• Lloyds Banking (LLOY LN) 8am

• Nestle (NESN VX) 7:15am Preview

• Pernod Ricard (RI FP) aftermkt Preview

• Renault (RNO FP) 7:30am

• Rio Tinto (RIO LN) 8am, 4Q production. Preview

• Zurich Insurance (ZURN VX) 6:45am

• Aeroports de Paris (ADP FP) 6am

• Aker Solutions (AKSO NO) 6:45am

• AMEC (AMEC LN) 8am

• Aurubis (NDA GR) 7am

• Banco Espirito Santo (BES PL) 7am

• FLSmidth & Co (FLS DC) 7:30am

• Flughafen Zuerich (FHZN SW) 7:45am

• Gerresheimer (GXI GR) 8am

• Havas (HAV FP) 8am

• Hermes International (RMS FP) 8am. Preview

• Holmen (HOLMB SS) 8am

• Hufvudstaden (HUFVA SS) 8am

• Imerys (NK FP) 8am

• Imperial Tobacco (IMT LN) 8am, 1Q IMS

• KBC Groep (KBC BB) 1Q sales

• Lancashire Holdings (LRE LN) 8am

• Legrand (LR FP) TBD, 4Q sales

• Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS NO) TBD

• Publicis Groupe (PUB FP) TBD

• Rexel (RXL FP) TBD, 3Q sales

• Rolls-Royce (RR/ LN) 8am

• Schibsted (SCH NO) TBD Preview

• Shire (SHP LN) 8am, sales Preview

• Tate & Lyle (TATE LN) 8am

• Telenet (TNET BB) TBD

• Trelleborg (TRELB SS) TBD, 1Q sales