Dec 16 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is expected to open 43 points
higher at 7,397, on Monday, according to financial bookmakers.
* ASTON MARTIN: Luxury British carmaker Aston Martin AML.L is in early
stage talks with potential investors about building "longer term relationships"
which it said on Friday may or may not involve an equity investment, as part of
a funding review. * GLENCORE: Glencore's GLEN.L Argentine JV partner and soy crushing giant
Vicentin has halted most of its operations as the company battles to restructure
its debt after defaulting earlier this month, three industry sources with direct
knowledge of the situation told Reuters. * RYANAIR/EASYJET: An Irish High Court judge hopes to rule this week on
whether Ryanair RYA.I can prevent its operations chief Peter Bellew from
joining arch-rival easyJet EZJ.L until 2021. * TULLOW OIL: Ratings agency S&P Global on Friday downgraded Tullow Oil's
TLW.L long-term credit rating to 'B' from 'B+', days after the Africa-focused
company's Chief Executive Officer stepped down and it scrapped its dividend.
* THE HUT GROUP: British online retailer The Hut Group (THG) said it raised
1 billion euros ($1.10 billion) to help fund expansion, amid macro-economic and
political changes arising from Brexit and the general election. * GOLD: Gold prices edged lower on Monday after the United States and China
agreed to a "phase one" trade deal that drove investors towards riskier assets,
although a weaker dollar limited some of bullion's losses. * OIL: Oil prices on Monday slid off near three-month highs hit last week as
investors searched for clarity beyond the initial impact of a trade deal between
the United States and China that's expected to boost flows between the top two
global economies. * The UK blue-chip index rose 1.1% on Friday as a rally in utilities,
retailers, housebuilders and banking stocks offset the drag from sterling, which
surged to a 19-month high against the U.S. dollar, after Prime Minister Boris
Johnson's ruling Conservatives convincingly won a national election.
UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Chemring Group CHG.L Full Year Earnings Release
Sports Direct International SPD.L Half Year Earnings Release
Studio Retail Group STUS.L Half Year Earnings Release
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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