* FTSEurofirst 300 up 0.5 pct, Euro STOXX 50 gains 0.6 pct * Carrefour, AB Foods surge after sales figures * Fall in correlation marks return of stock-picking - C. Suisse * Natixis, BofA-ML expect rally to continue By Francesco Canepa LONDON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - European sales rose on Thursday as upbeat U.S. economic data and encouraging sales figures from retailers Carrefour and Associated British Foods offset losses in the mining sector.

LONDON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - European shares dropped for a fourth straight session and hit a two-week low on Tuesday, led by the banking sector and pressured by technical weakness in a leading index that is set to continue in the near-term. At 0805 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.2 percent at 1,157.75 points, just off the 2-week low of 1,157.13 hit earlier. The euro zone's blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 index, meanwhile, fell 0.5 percent to 2,700.53 points.

* EDF gains, reaches deal on renewables tax * Saint-Gobain climbs on stake sale news * Swatch shares up, buys Harry Winston jewellery arm By Tricia Wright LONDON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - European shares were flat on Monday, steadying after a recent strong run, with French energy firm EDF the top gainer after it reached a deal with the government over a tax levy shortfall.

PARIS, Jan 8 (Reuters) - European shares dipped on Tuesday, tracking losses on Wall Street and with a key blue-chip index halted by a major resistance level, as investors braced for sluggish corporate results in the upcoming earnings season. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares provisionally closed 0.1 percent lower at 1,160.45 points, drifting lower along with U.S. indexes. The euro zone's blue chip Euro STOXX 50 index also fell 0.1 percent, to 2,691.73 points.