Feb 6 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 42 points
higher on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* ECONOMY: The goal of British finance minister Sajid Javid of doubling the
pace of economic growth has only a one-in-five chance of success, a think tank
said, citing the huge task of snapping the country out of its chronic run of
poor productivity. * CONSTRUCTION: The number of new homes registered for construction in
Britain last year inched up to the highest since 2007, boosted by London's
recovery from the previous year's Brexit-induced drop, industry figures showed.
* TRADE DEAL: British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab hopes a free trade deal
with Australia will be one of the first such pacts to be secured, now that
Britain has left the European Union, he said. * SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L , which plans billions of dollars in
spending on shale drilling projects, boosted output in the top U.S. shale field
to 250,000 barrels per day in December, the company's Permian Basin head said on
Wednesday. * EX-DIVS: Sage Group SGE.L will trade without entitlement to their latest
dividend pay-out on Thursday. According to Reuters calculations at current
market prices, the effect of the resulting adjustment to prices by market-makers
would have a very marginal impact on the index. * OIL: Oil futures rose for a second day on Thursday amid investor optimism
over unconfirmed reports of possible advances in combating the coronavirus
outbreak in China as a sign fuel demand may rebound in the world's biggest oil
importer. * GOLD: Gold prices fell as strong U.S. economic data boosted risk appetite
and the dollar, while investors kept a cautious eye on the virus outbreak as the
death toll jumped past 500. * UK shares got a shot in the arm on Wednesday after media reports that
scientists had developed a drug against the China-linked coronavirus, though
Imperial Brands and GlaxoSmithKline missed out after downbeat financial updates.
UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Compass Group CPG.L Trading Update
Beazley BEZG.L FY Results
Royal Mail RMG.L Trading Statement
Tate & Lyle TATE.L Q3 Trading Update
Victrex VCTX.L Q1 Interim Management Statement
Cranswick CWK.L Q3 Trading Update
Superdry SDRY.L Trading Update
Ashmore ASHM.L HY Results
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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