(Adds company news items and futures)
Jan 24 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 44
points higher at 7,552 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures up 0.76% ahead of cash markets open.
* VIRGIN MONEY: Virgin Money UK VMUK.L said its chairman Jim Pettigrew is
planning to retire by September 2021 when his tenure on the board will reach
nine years. * JUST EAT: Dutch online food ordering service Takeaway.com TKWY.AS said
90.2% of Just Eat JE.L shareholders have tendered shares to its takeover
offer, and that the company will begin a squeeze-out process to acquire the
rest. * PREMIER OIL: Hedge fund Asia Research and Capital Management (ARCM) raised
fresh concerns over Premier Oil's PMO.L plan to have its creditors vote on the
planned acquisition of North Sea assets under a scheme that allows it to delay
debt repayments and issue new shares. * COPPER: London copper edged higher on after the World Health Organization
(WHO) said a new coronavirus outbreak in top metals consumer China is not yet a
global emergency, but prices were set for their biggest weekly drop in 17
months. * GOLD: Gold edged lower after the World Health Organisation stopped short
of declaring the China virus outbreak a global emergency, though prices were
still on track to post a weekly gain. * OIL: Oil prices were steady, but on track for a fall of up to 5% for the
week on growing concern that fuel demand will weaken as the spread of a
respiratory virus from China that has killed 25 so far dents travel and darkens
the economic outlook. * UK shares lost roughly 1% on Thursday as worries over the spread of a new
flu-like virus from China forced dealers to dump risky assets, while financial
stocks tumbled across the board after the European Central Bank kept interest
rates at a record low level. UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB