(Adds news items, futures)
Jan 22 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 19
points higher at 7,630 on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.3%, according to
financial bookmakers.
* BERKELEY: British housebuilder Berkeley Group BKGH.L said it plans to
return 1 billion pounds to shareholders over the next two years, an increase of
about 455 million pounds, while ramping up its annual housing delivery by as
much as 50% over the next six years. * TED BAKER: British fashion retailer Ted Baker TED.L said inventory on
its balance sheet was overstated by 58 million pounds ($75.72 million), more
than double its preliminary estimate. * J D WETHERSPOON: Pub operator J D Wetherspoon JDW.L posted a 4.7%
increase in its like-for-like sales for the second quarter, joining peer
Mitchells & Butlers in reporting strong performance during the key holiday
season. * BURBERRY: British luxury label Burberry BRBY.L edged up its forecast for
full-year sales on Wednesday after it saw strong demand for designer Riccardo
Tisci's new collections in the 13 weeks to Dec. 28. * WH SMITH: Retailer WH Smith Plc SMWH.L said sales in the 20 weeks to
Jan. 18 rose 7%, as more customers shopped at its outlets in airports and
railway stations, but turmoil on the British shopping streets led to lower
like-for-like sales. * ANTOFOGASTA: Chilean miner Antofagasta Plc ANTO.L reported a 5.8% drop
in fourth-quarter copper production, plagued by supply and transportation
disruptions because of civil unrest in Chile that started in October last year.
* SAINSBURY: Mike Coupe will step down as CEO of Sainsbury's SBRY.L at the
end of May after six years at the helm, with Britain's second largest
supermarket group opting for continuity by choosing retail and operations
director Simon Roberts as his successor. * GLENCORE: FAR Ltd FAR.AX said it signed a binding agreement with
Glencore Plc GLEN.L to market the Australian company's share of crude oil from
its Sangomar Field in Senegal. * LLOYDS: Britain's Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L plans to scale down its
foreign exchange business by the end of the year, stung by low profitability and
rising competition from its rivals, three sources familiar with the matter said.
* VODAFONE: Britain's Vodafone Group Plc VOD.L has left the entity that
manages the Facebook Inc FB.O led effort to launch Libra, a global digital
currency, Libra Association said on Tuesday. * GOLD: Gold prices slipped as the dollar firmed and investors played down
any immediate impact on the global economy from the outbreak of a new
coronavirus in China. * COPPER: London copper prices hovered around a two-week low after
inventories climbed by a third and the coronavirus outbreak spread further
across the world. * OIL: Oil prices eased, extending declines as the International Energy
Agency (IEA) forecast a market surplus in the first half, helping ease concerns
about disruptions that have slashed Libya's crude output. * London's FTSE 100 suffered its worst day in two weeks on Tuesday as the
spread of the coronavirus curbed risk appetite and oil prices fell sharply,
while jobs data eased some bets of an imminent interest rate cut by the Bank of
England. UK PAPERS
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