RPT-European shares slip after three days of gains

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* FTSEurofirst 300 falls 0.3 percent

* Miners slip as metals prices fall

* Novartis gains after earnings and upbeat outlook

By Brian Gorman

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - European shares fell in early trade on Thursday, after three days of gains ahead of key earnings reports from major U.S. firms JP Morgan and Google .

At 0820 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top European shares was down 0.3 percent at 861.13 points, having moved in and out of positive territory.

The index gained 6 percent in the first three days of the week, as U.S. results boosted investor confidence, and is up more than 33 percent from the lifetime low it hit on March 9. "So far, we're getting indications of a better-than-expected Q2 earnings season, though it's very early," said Bernard McAlinden, investment strategist at NCB Stockbrokers, in Dublin. "We're in a range, and we have been going up to the upper end of it. But the market needs to see that recovery is there, and that earnings have bottomed."

A 33 percent surge in quarterly earnings at Goldman Sachs sparked optimism this week that the banking sector was recovering.

Banks were mostly lower on Thursday, with the DJ STOXX European banking <.SX7P> index having gained 8.7 percent in the previous three sessions.

Banco Santander , Deutsche Bank , HSBC and UBS were down between 0.9 and 2.2 percent.

Miners also fell on Thursday as the price of copper and other metals slipped.

Anglo American , BHP Billiton > and Xstrata fell between 0.7 and 3.2 percent. Oils were slightly lower as crude prices slipped below $61.50 a barrel. Total and BP fell 0.7 and 0.4 percent respectively.

Defensives were generally lower, notably utilities. GDF Suez and Veolia were down 1 and 1.8 percent respectively.

Across Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 <.FTSE>, Germany's DAX <.GDAXI> and France's CAC-40 <.FCHI> were down between 0.2 and 0.4 percent.

NOVARTIS RISES

Swiss drugmaker Novartis rose 1.4 percent after it raised its full-year forecast for drug sales and second-quarter net profit met expectations. [ID:nLF214292]

AstraZeneca was up 0.8 percent.

Casino Guichard Perrachon rose 3.7 percent. After the market closed on Wednesday, the French supermarket group said it met forecasts with a 1.9 percent drop in second-quarter sales and was comfortable with analysts' full-year profit forecasts. [ID:nLF420279]

Electrolux soared 8.6 percent after the world's second biggest home appliances maker posted a surprise rise in second-quarter core earnings, despite weak market demand.

Later in the session, investor focus will be on earnings at JPMorgan and weekly U.S. jobless claims.

(Editing by Lin Noueihed)