European shares were higher in early afternoon trade on Wednesday despite preliminary growth data from the euro zone missing estimates.
FRANKFURT, May 15- German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp took another writedown on the value its Steel Americas business, driving it to an unexpected quarterly loss but raising hopes it is closer to selling the troubled asset. At 0820 GMT, ThyssenKrupp shares were up 4 percent at 15.715 euros, among the biggest rises by a European blue-chip stock.
*Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena rises after results. PARIS, May 15- European shares were mixed in early trade on Wednesday, taking a breather from a sharp rally started in mid-April, with lower-than-expected growth data for Germany and France denting investor appetite.
FRANKFURT, May 6- ThyssenKrupp is putting its railway and construction operations up for sale, Germany's biggest steelmaker said on Monday.
*Cap hike of $750 mln for Brazil plant considered- source. FRANKFURT, Germany, May 3- Germany's ThyssenKrupp is considering keeping a stake in Brazilian steel mill CSA, which would force it to inject more money into the business, a person familiar with the matter said. "One of the options that has emerged is that ThyssenKrupp would sell a one-third stake to CSN.
**Verizon Communications would like to buy out Vodafone from their Wireless joint venture but will not do so at any cost, its chief executive has told JP Morgan analysts.
Shares in German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp rise 4.9 percent, making them the second-biggest gainers on Germany's blue-chip index, following a broker upgrade and comments on talks to sell Steel Americas.
FRANKFURT, May 3- Shares in ThyssenKrupp AG open 3.9 percent higher after UBS upgrade, comments on Steel Americas.
For a summary of rating actions and price target changes on European companies: Reuters Eikon users, click on RCH/ EUROPE Reuters 3000 Xtra users, double-click RCH/ EUROPE Reuters Station users, click. 1580.
FRANKFURT, May 3- The DAX top-30 index looked set to open 0.2 percent higher on Friday, according to premarket data from brokerage Lang& Schwarz at 0618 GMT. Related news HUGO BOSS Indicated 2.7 percent lower. Private equity firm Permira is selling a further 10 percent stake in Hugo Boss, the German fashion house said on Friday.
*D. Bahn says Voestalpine pays high double-digit amount. VIENNA, April 29- Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine. Germany's cartel office has already fined Voestalpine, ThyssenKrupp and Vossloh a total of 124 million euros for colluding to fix prices of rail track sold between 2001 and 2011..
VIENNA, April 29- Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine. Voestalpine, which was the whistleblower on a steel cartel that also included Germany's ThyssenKrupp and Vossloh, confirmed it had reached an agreement with Deutsche Bahn but declined to comment on the size of the settlement.
*EU conditions could complicate Aperam's bid- sources. BRUSSELS/ LONDON, April 22- The European Commission may oblige steelmaker Aperam, bidding to buy Outokumpu's stainless steel plant in Terni, to sell other steel assets if it succeeds, a commission source said.
*EU commission vice president backs Aperam consortium's bid. LONDON, April 12- A consortium led by Luxembourg- based stainless steel maker Aperam is the front runner for the acquisition of a stainless steel plant in Terni, Italy, market sources said this week.
NICOSIA- Cyprus's government proposes to spare small savers from a divisive levy on bank deposits but says it expects parliament to reject the measure needed to secure an international bailout and avoid default and a banking collapse. (EUROZONE- CYPRUS/, expect by 1430 GMT/ 1030 AM EDT, by Michele Kambas and Karolina Tagaris, 940 words). -CYPRUS- FRANCE/, moved, 260 words.
*Cyprus closed awaiting vote on tax deal. LONDON, March 19- European shares fell in choppy trade by midday on Tuesday as investors tried to hold their nerve after Cyprus's bailout package stoked anxiety about the euro zone's debt crisis.
NICOSIA- Cyprus's parliament is set to reject a divisive tax on bank deposits in a vote scheduled for Tuesday, a government spokesman says, a move that will push the island closer to a default and banking collapse. (EUROZONE- CYPRUS/, expect by 1100 GMT/ 7 AM EDT, by Michele Kambas and Karolina Tagaris, 760 words). -CYPRUS- FRANCE/, moved, 260 words.
FRANKFURT, March 4- Leaders of the IG Metall trade union on Monday called for a pay rise of up to 5.5 percent for some 3.7 million German workers, below last year's demand but still likely to result in an above-inflation increase.
SAO PAULO, Feb 27- Brazilian mining giant Vale SA posted its first quarterly loss in 10 years, taking $5.66 billion of writedowns on money-losing mines as it follows rivals in cutting costs and bolstering finances in the face of a volatile world economy.
SAO PAULO, Feb 27- Brazilian mining giant Vale SA posted its first net loss in 10 years in the fourth quarter after taking $5.66 billion in charges for underperforming mines and other mills, a loss twice as big as expected.