(Adds company news items and futures)
Nov 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 31
points lower at 7,231 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures down almost 0.4% ahead of cash markets open.
* INVESTEC: Anglo-South African financial services firm Investec INVP.L
INLJ.J said on Thursday its first-half profit fell 17.2% after a weak
performance in UK specialist banking. * ROYAL MAIL: Royal Mail RMG.L , one of the world's oldest postal services,
on Thursday posted an operating profit in the first half compared with a loss
last year, benefiting from higher parcel volumes as its turnaround plan
progresses. * CMC MARKETS: British online trading firm CMC Markets Plc CMCX.L on
Thursday posted a jump in first-half net operating income and lifted its
full-year target, as traders adapted to changes after a regulatory crackdown on
high-risk bets. * BRITISH AIRWAYS: Some British Airways flights were delayed by a technical
issue on Thursday, the airline said, in the latest setback for the British
flag-carrier. * WILLIAM HILL: British bookmaker William Hill WMH.L on Thursday reported
a slight rise in revenue for the 17-week period since its first-half results,
benefiting from more demand for online gambling and its aggressive expansion in
the United States. * CENTRICA: Centrica CNA.L remains on track to meet its full-year cash
flow and earnings targets and has raised its expected efficiency savings by 50
million pounds ($64.61 million), the British utility said on Thursday.
* MITIE: British outsourcer Mitie Group Plc MTO.L reported a rise in
first-half profit on Thursday, but warned that Brexit and the upcoming election
could reduce capital commitments by its clients and change their approach to
outsourcing decisions. * OIL: Oil prices retreated on Thursday after gaining more than 2% in the
previous session on bullish U.S. crude inventory data, as a fresh spat over Hong
Kong fuelled concerns of a further delay in any U.S.-China trade deal.
* GOLD: Gold prices inched up on Thursday, supported by concerns that U.S.
bills on Hong Kong could increase tensions between the United States and China
and delay an interim trade deal. * EX-DIVS: Carnival CCL.L CCL.N , DCC DCC.L , Imperial Brands IMB.L
and Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust SMT.L will trade without entitlement to
its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 3.3 points off the FTSE 100
according to Reuters calculations.
* The UK blue chip index lost 0.8% on Wednesday after three sessions of
gains as flaring tensions between China and the United States cast doubt over
prospects of a trade deal and retailer Kingfisher slumped 7% following
disappointing quarterly sales. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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