(Adds futures, news items)
May 14(Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen
opening 56 points lower on Thursday, according to financial
bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 1.1% ahead of cash market
open.
* 3I GROUP: 3i Group Plc III.L stuck to its plan to pay a
2020 dividend after saying profits fell to just a third of those
a year ago due to a slump in the value of its private equity
investments in travel, retail and automotive businesses in
March's global market selloff. * WH SMITH: WH Smith SMWH.L reported an 85% slump in group
sales in April, slightly better than its earlier forecast as a
400% rise in online book sales helped offset some of the damage
of mass coronavirus closures of its kiosks and stores.
* JUST GROUP: Specialist pension provider Just Group
JUSTJ.L posted a drop in solvency ratio as interest rates fell
across regions with countries taking measures to stimulate their
economies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. * LLOYD'S OF LONDON: Lloyd's of London is likely to pay out
$3.0-4.3 billion in claims related to the coronavirus pandemic
and underwriting and investment losses for the global non-life
insurance sector could reach a record $203 billion, Lloyd's
said. * HARGREAVES LANSDOWN: British fund supermarket Hargreaves
Lansdown HRGV.L said that total assets fell 8.1% in the
opening four months of the year, hit by sharp equity market
falls. * PERSIMMON: Housebuilder Persimmon PSN.L said it had 65%
of construction work back up and running and was reopening sales
offices on May 15 with social distancing restrictions, although
all of its sites in Scotland will remain closed under Scottish
government restrictions. * HOUSING MARKETS: British house prices are likely to fall
as the market slowly begins to reopen, after a collapse in
activity due to COVID-19 restrictions last month, a survey
showed. * TARIFFS: The United Kingdom is planning to cut tariffs on
U.S. agricultural imports to advance progress on a free trade
agreement, the Financial Times reported . * LSE: The London Stock Exchange on Wednesday formally asked
the European Union's competition officials to approve its $27
billion takeover of data and analytics company Refinitiv.
* GOLD: Gold eased as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome
Powell downplayed the possibility of negative interest rates,
but his warning of an extended period of weak economic growth
capped the metal's losses. * OIL: Oil prices climbed following an unexpected drop in
U.S. crude stocks, but gains were capped by a bleak outlook for
the world's No. 1 economy as the coronavirus pandemic crushes
fuel demand, and concern over a potential second wave of
cases. * UK stocks fell on Wednesday after data showed the economy
contracted in March at a pace never seen before as the
coronavirus crisis escalated, while analysts warned of more pain
ahead. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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