Europe shares close down; US results season eyed

                                
 * FTSEurofirst 300 index down 0.1 pct
                                
 * Banks retreat; Deutsche Bank falls
                                
 * Energy stocks gain on Chinese trade data
                                
 By Joanne Frearson
                                
 LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - European shares edged lower on
Monday, retreating from a 15-month high earlier in the session,
as financial shares slipped ahead of the start of the U.S.
earnings season.
                                
 The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top
shares closed down 0.1 percent at 1,063.82 points, after
touching a new 15-month high of 1,074.50.
                                
 "The Chinese numbers were great which is why we were so
strong first thing this morning, but now we have seen the profit
takers come out," said Jim Wood Smith, head of research at
Williams de Broe.
                                
 "We have got a lot of data coming out over the next few
weeks and the fourth-quarter earnings season in the United
States is about to start, so there is every reason for investors
to stay on the sidelines."
                                
 China's exports leapt 17.7 percent from a year earlier,
dwarfing the 4.0 percent rise forecast by economists and
breaking a 13-month streak of year-on-year declines. Imports
surged 55.9 percent, much more than the 31 percent increase
markets had expected. [ID:nTOE60900L]
                                
 In the United States, aluminium producer Alcoa <AA.N> will
kick start the beginning of the fourth-quarter earnings season,
with numbers due after the market close. Later in the week,
banking giant JP Morgan <JPM.N> and chipmaker Intel <INTC.O>
will report figures.
                                
 Banking stocks featured among the worst performers. Deutsche
Bank <DBKGn.DE> fell 1.2 percent after traders pointed to
speculation that it could cut its dividend. The company declined
to comment.
                                
 Credit Suisse <CSGN.VX>, BNP Paribas <BNPP.PA> and UBS
<UBSN.VX> were down 1 to 2.1 percent.
                                
 
                                
 MINERS FALL
                                
 Mining stocks retreated from earlier gains. Chile's mining
minister Santiago Gonzalez said global copper prices could see
an "important" downward correction as high metal inventories
continue to climb. [ID:nN11153471]
                                
 Anglo American <AAL.L>, Antofagasta <ANTO.L>, BHP Billiton
<BLT.L>, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation <ENRC.L>, Rio
Tinto <RIO.L> and Xstrata <XTA.L> were down 0.4 to 2.3 percent.
                                
 However, energy stocks were among the biggest risers, lifted
by the upbeat trade data from China.
                                
 BG Group <BG.L>, BP <BP.L>, Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> and
Total <TOTF.PA> were 0.3 to 2.4 percent higher.
                                
 "China is one of the biggest exporters in the world and they
will play a very strong hand in the global economic recovery.
That is why this news has been received very well by investors,"
said Joshua Raymond, market analyst at City Index.
                                
 Heineken <HEIN.AS> gained 3.3 percent after it said it would
buy the beer business of Mexico's FEMSA <FMSAUBD.MX> in a deal
that will boost the Dutch brewer's emerging-market presence.
[ID:nLDE60A0DL]
                                
 Across Europe, the FTSE 100 <.FTSE> index and Germany's DAX
<.GDAXI> were up 0.1 percent and France's CAC 40 <.FCHI> was
down 0.1 percent.
 (additional reporting Harpreet Bhal; Editing by David Cowell)