Alcatel SA (CGE FP): The French network equipment maker and Lucent Technologies Inc. (LU US) are ``confident'' they will address U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter's security ``concerns'' arising from their planned combination in a $13.4 billion share swap. Shares of Alcatel fell 20 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 11.43 euros.

Allianz AG (ALV GY): Europe's biggest insurer said after markets closed on April 28 that it won't cut any staff for operational reasons until the end of 2007, ending concern that the planned reorganization of its German business might lead to as many as 10,000 job losses. The stock lost 1.41 euros, or 1.1 percent, to 132.70 euros.

Axa SA (CS FP): Assicurazioni Generali SpA (G IM) Chairman Antoine Bernheim ruled out a merger with Axa, Europe's second- largest insurer, saying Italy's biggest insurance company has the ``means'' to ward off a hostile bid if the need arose. Axa shares dropped 26 cents, or 0.9 percent, to 29.09 euros and Generali slipped 40 cents, or 1.3 percent, to 29.71 euros.

BASF AG (BAS GY): The world's largest chemical maker extended a $4.94 billion bid for Engelhard Corp. (EC US) for what it said will be the last time and nominated three more candidates for Engelhard's board as it tries to win control of the world's biggest catalytic-converter maker. BASF shares fell 30 cents, or 0.4 percent, at 67.96 euros.

Bayer AG (BAY GY): The company, which is seeking to acquire rival German drugmaker Schering AG (SCH GY), said it won agreements to buy stock with 0.31 percent of Schering's voting rights. Bayer shares lost 14 cents, or 0.4 percent, to 36.61 euros and Schering slipped 9 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 85.12 euros.

Brisa-Auto Estradas de Portugal SA (BRISA PL): The operator of Portugal's biggest toll-road network said on April 28 after markets closed that first-quarter profit dropped 31 percent from a year earlier to 27.6 million euros, as toll revenue fell and the company spent money cutting jobs. The stock lost 13 cents, or 1.5 percent, to 8.34 euros.

Carrefour SA (CA FP): The South Korean offices of Europe's largest retailer were searched overnight by tax authorities, who seized documents related to the French retailer's sale of its local operations, online news agency E-daily reported. The shares rose 15 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 45.98 euros.

Separately, Clariden Leu, Credit Suisse's new private bank, may buy smaller private banks and wealth- management firms in Switzerland, Finanz und Wirtschaft reported on April 29, citing Clariden Leu Chief Executive Officer Bernard Stalder. The stock advanced 90 centimes, or 1.2 percent, to 77.90 Swiss francs.

Danske Bank A/S (DANSKE DC): The second-largest Nordic lender by market value may say that first-quarter pretax profit dropped 5.9 percent from a year earlier to 3.99 billion Danish kroner ($670 million) because of integration costs from its purchase of two Irish banks, according to the median estimate of 12 analysts surveyed by financial newswire RB-Boersen. The shares gained 2 kroner, or 0.9 percent, to 237.25 kroner.

DaimlerChrysler AG (DCX GY): The world's largest maker of commercial trucks expects demand for trucks in 2007 to beat the low expectations of some analysts, the Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing Andreas Renschler, the management board member responsible for trucks. The shares fell 1.37 eruos, or 3.1 percent, at 43.46 euros.

Separately, Jet Airways (India) Ltd. (JETIN IN), the nation's biggest domestic airline, may convert an estimated $4.2 billion of options to buy planes from Airbus SAS and Boeing Co. to firm orders as it aims to fly more overseas routes. EADS shares fell 27 cents, or 0.9 percent, to 31.28 euros.

Royal Numico NV (NUM NA): Europe's largest baby-food producer will probably say first-quarter net income rose 19 percent from a year earlier to 51 million euros ($64 million), according to the median estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. The shares fell 21 cents, or 0.6 percent, to 35.92 euros.

Sandvik AB (SAND SS): The world's biggest maker of metal- cutting gear may say first-quarter profit jumped 25 percent from a year earlier to 2.36 billion Swedish kronor ($319 million) on rising sales and profitability at its mining and construction unit, according to a SME Direkt survey of 15 analysts on April 18. The shares were unchanged at 479 kronor.

Sanofi-Aventis SA (SAN FP): Questions have been raised over the reliability of a study of Sanofi-Aventis' Ketek antibiotic, which has been linked to liver damage, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing documents, including internal Aventis emails, that it's reviewed. Shares of the pharmaceutical company gained 1.15 euros, or 1.6 percent, to 75.75 euros.

SAP AG (SAP GY): The world's largest maker of business- management software plans to expand its acquisitions spending while focusing on smaller purchases, Euro am Sonntag reported on April 30, citing Chief Financial Officer Werner Brandt. The stock fell 3.80 euros, or 2.2 percent, to 173.20 euros.

Suez SA (SZE FP): France's second-largest utility and Gaz de France SA will say they can save 1 billion euros, twice the amount previously announced, by merging, the Sunday Times reported, without saying where it got the information.

Separately, Enel SpA (ENEL IM) Chief Executive Officer Fulvio Conti said the company he runs is still interested in Suez, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported. Shares of Suez rose 20 cents, or 0.7 percent, to 31.19 euros and Enel closed little changed at 6.86 euros.

Total SA (FP FP): Europe's third-largest oil company and ConocoPhillips will sign an agreement later this month with Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil company by output, to build and operate two new refineries in the kingdom at a cost of $12 billion, a Saudi official said. Total shares fell 3 euros, or 1.4 percent, to 219.2 euros.

Volkswagen AG (VOW GY): The supervisory board of the German carmaker may not reach a decision about renewing Chief Executive Officer Bernd Pischetsrieder's employment contract at a May 2 meeting, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported, without citing anyone. The shares dropped 3.49 euros, or 5.4 percent, to 61.21 euros.

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