Oct 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down 9
points to 7,173 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers.
* EUROFX: Liquidator Grant Thornton is seeking litigation funding to step up
its hunt for 500 million pounds ($632.30 million) invested in UK company Euro
Forex, which Chinese police have said was a pyramid scheme. * BARCLAYS: A former top Barclays BARC.L executive, on trial in London on
fraud charges, would have risked a 50 million pound ($64 million) "good leaver"
package if he had sought a criminal deal with Qatar during the credit crisis, a
court heard on Thursday. * BREXIT: European Union leaders unanimously backed a new Brexit deal with
Britain on Thursday, leaving Prime Minister Boris Johnson facing a battle to
secure the UK parliament's backing for the agreement if he is to take Britain
out of Europe on Oct. 31. * OIL: Oil prices fell on Friday after China, the world's largest oil
importer, recorded its weakest quarter of economic growth in nearly three
decades, dragged down by a trade dispute with the United States. * GOLD: Gold prices held above $1,490 on Friday as disappointing data from
China reinforced concerns that its trade spat with the United States had begun
taking a toll on global economies, while the Brexit deal waits for parliamentary
backing. * The UK's FTSE mid-cap stocks index .FTMC was well off its day's high and
was last trading up 0.3% on Thursday. The blue-chip exporter-heavy FTSE 100
.FTSE index rose 0.5% on sterling's reversal. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC DPH.L Trading Statement
Release
London Stock Exchange LSE.L Q3 2019 Trading
Group PLC Statement Release
InterContinental Hotels IHG.L Q3 Trading Statement
Group PLC Release
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