S& P 500 hits all time highs U.S.-Japan trade deal optimism
(Adds futures, news items)
Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 19 points lower at 6,105 on
Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures down 0.50% ahead of
cash markets open.
* ROYAL MAIL: Britain's Royal Mail RMG.L laid out restructuring plans that
will affect around 2,000 management roles and see it save 130 million pounds in
staffing costs next year. * LSE: The London Stock Exchange said it had appointed Anna Manz as chief
financial officer from November. * EASYJET: Budget airline easyJet said it had raised about 419 million
pounds ($520.5 million) through a share placing to help it withstand the
COVID-19 pandemic. * MITIE GROUP: Mitie Group MTO.L said it would buy rival Interserve's
facilities management arm for 271 million pounds ($336.64 million). * BAE SYSTEMS: British defence company BAE Systems BAES.L said first-half
profit would be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, but its second-half
performance would be much stronger. * NON-STANDARD FINANCE: British lender Non-Standard Finance NSF.L raised
doubts on its ability to continue as a going concern, with the coronavirus
crisis halting lending. * OIL: Oil prices dipped further after tumbling more than 5% in the previous
session, as a record build in U.S. crude inventories and a rapid resurgence in
COVID-19 cases cast doubts on fuel demand recovery. * GOLD: Gold edged lower, easing off a near eight-year high hit in the last
session, as a selloff in equity markets driven by a surge in coronavirus cases
prompted some investors to dump assets. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE close down 3.1% on Wednesday, as a spike in
novel coronavirus cases across the globe compounded fears of a second wave of
the pandemic. * 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