Oct 30 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 7 points lower at
7,299 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers
* STANDARD CHARTERED: Standard Chartered STAN.L reported that
third-quarter profit rose a better-than-expected 16%, as a surge in business
from corporate clients helped the bank weather unrest in its core market of Hong
Kong and global trade tensions. * BP: BP Plc BP.L wants to be part of an effort to build up natural gas
infrastructure in Brazil, an executive said on Tuesday, and believes a power
plant it is building in Rio de Janeiro could eventually be supplied by gas from
offshore oilfields here. * ROYAL MAIL: UK's Royal Mail Plc RMG.L has written to the Communications
Workers Union (CWU) saying it will enter into talks "without preconditions" if
the union agrees to remove the threat of strike action over the Christmas, the
company said on Tuesday. * INMARSAT: The British government on Tuesday cleared the acquisition of
satellite communications company Inmarsat ISA.L by a private equity consortium
after it accepted undertakings given by the acquirer relating to national
security. * BHP: BHP BHP.AX BHPB.L said its Escondida copper mine, the world's
largest, was operating at a "reduced rate" after union workers walked off the
job for part of the day on Tuesday in solidarity with the anti-government
protest movement across Chile. * GOLD: Gold prices firmed as a possible delay in U.S.-China trade deal
stalled a rally in equities, while investors shifted focus to a U.S. central
bank meeting later in the day where it is expected to cut interest rates.
* OIL: Oil prices fell as a possible delay in resolving the U.S.-China trade
war overshadowed a drop in U.S. crude inventories. * The UK blue chip index dipped 0.3%, its biggest daily drop in ten days, as
the prospect of a December general election put investors in Britain in a
cautious mood, while heavyweight BP slid on lower profits. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Standard Chartered STAN.L Q3 Interim Management Statement Release
Next Plc NXT.L Q3 Trading Statement Release
Computacenter Plc CCC.L Q3 Trading Statement Release
ConvaTec Group Plc CTEC.L Q3 Trading Statement Release
GlaxoSmithKline Plc GSK.L Q3 2019 Earnings Release
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