French and Benelux stocks - Factors to watch on July 6

PARIS, July 6 (Reuters) - Below is company-related news and leading stories from French and Benelux newspapers which could have an impact on the region's markets or individual stocks.

SOCIETE GENERALE (SOGN.PA)

Societe Generale said second-quarter net income is expected to be slightly positive as solid operational performances, in particular in Corporate & Investment Banking, will absorb the significant negative impact on the accounts of the substantial tightening of credit spreads stemming from an improving market environment and reduced aversion to risk since mid-March. [SOGN.PA]

TOTAL (TOTF.PA)

Total's negotiations with Tehran on a multi-billion dollar contract to develop a major Iranian gas field are at a standstill, the head of the French oil major said on Friday.

"They have not been broken and they have not been resumed either. They are not in a very advanced state," Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie told journalists on the sidelines of an economic forum in southern France. [ID:nL3136898]

Total and China National Petroleum Corp plan to bid for two large oil blocks being auctioned in Venezuela, instead of one in which they had already shown interest, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people involved in the bidding round. [ID:nN042236]

SANOFI-AVENTIS (SASY.PA)

Sanofi-Aventis said the results of a long-term, 5-year study of Lantus versus NPH insulin on progression of retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes, published on-line in Diabetologia, showed similar effects on retinopathy and overall safety in the two treatment groups. [SASY.PA]

FRANCE TELECOM (FTE.PA)

Egypt's Orascom Telecom (ORTE.CA) said on Sunday it would discontinue legal proceedings in an Egyptian court against France Telecom in a dispute over shared ownership of mobile operator Mobinil (EMOB.CA). [ID:nL5603851]

France Telecom is not, for now, considering a bid for assets of Kuwaiti telecom company Zain (ZAIN.KW), Chief Executive Didier Lombard told reporters on Sunday. "This is not on the agenda for now," he said. [ID:nL5632160]

VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT (VIE.PA)