(ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UKstock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development. See the bottom of the report for moredetails)
MILAN, June 2 (Reuters) - European shares were steady onThursday, with investors likley to avoid taking large positionsahead of the European Central Bank's (ECB) policy meeting laterin the day.
The pan-European STOXX 600 and FTSEurofirst 300 indexes were both up 0.1 percent in early trading,having both fallen around 1 percent in the previous session.
The ECB is expected to keep interest rates firmly on holdbut will probably raise growth and inflation forecasts.
Austria's Voestalpine rose more than 5 percent,making it the biggest gainer on the STOXX index, on the back ofa higher-than-expected full-year net profit.
The biggest faller was defence contractor Cobham,slumping 16.4 percent after announcing plans this week to raise507 million pounds via a rights issue.
Today's European research round-up
ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UKstock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon (see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development). In a real-time, multimedia formatfrom 0600 London time through the 1630 closing bell, it willinclude the best of our market reporting, Stocks Buzz service,Eikon graphics, Reuters pictures, eye-catching research andmarket zeitgeist. Breaking news and dramatic market moves willcontinue to be alerted to all clients and we will continue toprovide a short opening story and comprehensive closing reports.
If you have any thoughts, suggestions or feedback on this,please email mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com.
Mike Dolan, Markets Editor EMEA.
(Reporting by Danilo Masoni; Editing by Sudip Kar-GUpta)
