FRANKFURT, June 21 (Reuters) - The DAX top-30 index looked set to open 0.4 percent higher on Friday, according to premarket data from brokerage Lang & Schwarz at 0628 GMT.
The following are some of the factors that may move German stocks:
VOLKSWAGEN
Indicated 0.6 percent higher
VW's Audi unit will swap development chiefs for a second time in less than a year, causing a stir at the luxury carmaker as it fights to close the gap with rival BMW.
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MERCK KGaA
Indicated 0.6 percent lower
Belgian biotech company Ablynx NV said on Friday that its partner Merck KGaA had dosed a first healthy volunteer in a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its nanobody ALX-0761.
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AIR BERLIN
Indicated 1.9 percent higher
Air Berlin pilots scrapped plans to go on strike after the airline improved its wage increase offer, German trade union Cockpit said on Thursday.
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EX-DIVIDEND
SIXT - 1.00 eur/shr
WIRECARD - 0.11 eur/shr
DEUTSCHE EUROSHOP - 1.20 eur/shr
ANALYST VIEWS
MTU AERO ENGINES - HSBC raises target price to 80 euros from 73 euros, rating neutral
JENOPTIK - HSBC cuts to neutral from overweight, raises price target to 10.7 euros from 10 euros.
OVERSEAS STOCK MARKETS
Dow Jones -2.3 pct, S&P 500 -2.5 pct, Nasdaq -2.3 pct at Thursday's close.
Nikkei closes up 1.7 percent.
EUROPEAN FACTORS TO WATCH
DIARIES
REUTERS TOP NEWS (Reporting by Marilyn Gerlach and Christiaan Hetzner)