Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 21 points higher at 6,272 on
Friday, according to financial bookmakers.
* BRITISH AIRWAYS: British Airways, the world's largest operator of Boeing
747, said late Thursday it would retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with
immediate effect. * RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.AX reported a 1.5% rise in iron ore shipments
for the second quarter. * NHS INVESTMENT: Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to pour 3 billion pounds
($3.77 billion) into England's National Health Service (NHS) to try to ward off
any resurgence of the coronavirus. * 5G: The U.S. and British foreign ministers agreed to promote the
development of "additional trusted 5G solutions," the U.S. State Department said
on Thursday, two days after Britain decided to purge Huawei equipment from its
5G network. * OIL: Oil prices were unchanged, with trading marked by growing uncertainty
about global recovery in fuel demand as new COVID-19 cases surge in several
countries. * GOLD: Gold steadied near the $1,800 level after a sharp fall in the
previous session, as worries over surging coronavirus cases and U.S.-China
tensions underpinned its safe-haven appeal. * METAL: London copper dipped as heightened Sino-U.S. tensions sparked
worries of a tit-for-tat retaliation that could dampen economic growth and
demand for metals. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE was down 0.7% on Thursday, as apprehension
over the local job market and a drop in China's retail sales chipped away at
hopes for a swift economic recovery. * UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Ninety One N91.L Q1 AUM Statement
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB