May 16 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is expected to open 32
points lower at 7,265 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* NON-STANDARD FINANCE: Non-Standard Finance Plc NSF.L on Wednesday
ploughed ahead with its 1.3 billion pound hostile takeover of Provident
Financial PFG.L , even though the subprime lender failed to win the backing of
some of its larger rival's investors. * ITV: British broadcaster ITV ITV.L has cancelled "The Jeremy Kyle Show",
a tabloid talkshow that features confrontations between guests over issues like
infidelity, betrayal and addiction, after a participant died following a
recording of the programme.
* OIL: Oil prices edged up on Thursday to extend gains into a third straight
session, as tensions in the Middle East stoked fears of potential disruptions to
supply. * GOLD: Gold prices marked time on Thursday as an uptick in equities offset
support from doubts over trade talks between the United States and
China. * EX-DIVS: GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L , HSBC Holdings HSBA.L , Intertek Group
ITRK.L , RDS 'A RDSa.L , RDS 'B RDSb.L , Tesco TSCO.L will trade without
entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 23.6 points
off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations. * The UK blue chip index closed 0.76% higher at 7241.60 on Wednesday as
hopes that the United States' trade tensions with China and Europe will
dissipate, combined with a weaker pound, lifted Britain's main index higher, as
a slew of earnings reports also drove share moves. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
National Grid NG.L Full year result
Balfour Beatty BALF.L Trading Update
Keller Group KLR.L Trading Update
Euromoney ERM.L Half year result
Grainger GRI.L Half year result
Sophos SOPH.L Full year result
Wincanton WIN.L Full year result
Premier Oil PMO.L Trading Update
Spire Healthcare SPI.L Trading Update
Burberry BRBY.L Full year result
Just Group JUSTJ.L Q1 Trading Update
Thomas Cook TCG.L Half year result
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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