April 2 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 15
points lower at 5,439 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* IAG: IAG-owned British Airways ICAG.L is expected to announce a
suspension of about 36,000 of its employees, BBC News reported on Wednesday.
* HSBC: HSBC Holdings HSBA.L on Wednesday denied a media report that the
bank had revived a debate on moving its headquarters and said there were no such
discussions under review.
* BP: Several workers on a BP Plc BP.N oil platform in the U.S. Gulf of
Mexico have tested positive for coronavirus, the company said on Wednesday, a
day after a worker at BP's operations in Alaska also tested positive.
* ANTOFAGASTA: Copper miner Antofagasta ANTO.L said on Wednesday its
Centinela mine in Chile would be powered by renewable sources from 2022 under an
agreement with power company Engie Energía Chile. * OIL: Crude oil futures surged on Thursday after U.S. President Donald
Trump said he expected Saudi Arabia and Russia to reach a deal soon to end their
oil price war and Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a solution to
"challenging" oil markets. * GOLD: Gold prices edged lower on Thursday as the dollar held firm, while
investors awaited key U.S. jobless data amid mounting signs of a recession due
to the worsening coronavirus outbreak.
* EX-DIVS: InterContinental Hotels IHG.L , Mondi MNDI.L , Melrose
Industries MRON.L , Phoenix Group PHNX.L , Standard Life Aberdeen SLA.L ,
Smith & Nephew SN.L and Taylor Wimpey TW.L will trade without entitlement to
their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 5.05 points off the FTSE 100
according to Reuters calculations. * The UK blue chip index closed down 3.8% on Wednesday as banking shares
dived after suspending dividend payments, while plunging factory activity in
Britain and elsewhere underlined the severe economic impact of the coronavirus
pandemic. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Tracsis PLC TRCS.L Half Year 2020 Earnings
Saga PLC SAGA.L Full Year 2020 Earnings
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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