March 17 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 75
points higher on Tuesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* ECONOMY: Britain's economy looks on track to grow by the smallest amount
since the financial crisis this year as the coronavirus outbreak threatens to
drag major economies into recession, the British Chambers of Commerce said.
* EU ANTITRUST: European Union regulators have asked companies seeking to
complete their desired mergers to delay submitting antitrust filings due to the
coronavirus outbreak. * CORONAVIRUS: Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday shut down social life
in Britain and ordered the most vulnerable to isolate for 12 weeks, ramping up
the battle against a coronavirus outbreak just as it accelerates towards it
peak. * CORONAVIRUS: British finance minister Rishi Sunak is expected to outline
further support for businesses at a press conference with Prime Minister Johnson
scheduled for Tuesday, a UK treasury source said on Monday. * CORONAVIRUS: Britain has asked manufacturers including Ford F.N , Honda
7267.T and Rolls Royce RR.L to help make health equipment including
ventilators to cope with the coronavirus outbreak and will look at using hotels
as hospitals. * BOE: The Bank of England said it will offer 12-week U.S. dollar funds
starting on Wednesday, part of a move by six of the world's major central banks
to ease strains in global markets and maintain liquidity through the coronavirus
crisis. * COPPER: London copper prices edged up from a 40-month low hit in the
previous session, as investors expected that the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy
measures could boost long-term demand for metals. * GOLD: Gold prices fell nearly 1.5%, extending losses from the previous
session's meltdown, as investors continued to sell assets to keep their money in
cash because of heightened concerns over the economic toll of the coronavirus
outbreak. * OIL: Oil rose more than $1 as bargain hunters emerged after recent sharp
falls due to the coronavirus pandemic and the price war between Saudi Arabia and
Russia, but fears of a recession still dragged on the market. * UK shares plunged on Monday as airlines announced flight cuts and stepped
up calls for emergency aid to get through the coronavirus outbreak. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Gamma Communications GAMA.L FY 2019 Earnings Release
TI Fluid Systems TIFS.L FY 2019 Earnings Release
Harworth Group HWG.L FY 2019 Earnings Release
Polypipe Group PLP.L FY 2019 Earnings Release
Antofagasta ANTO.L FY 2019 Earnings Release
Ferguson FERG.L HY 2020 Earnings Release
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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