(Adds futures, news items)
March 1 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen
opening open 28 points lower at 6,560 on Tuesday, according to
financial bookmakers, with futures .FFIc1 down 0.08% ahead of
the cash market open.
* TRAVIS PERKINS: Travis Perkins TPK.L , Britain's biggest
seller of building materials, has recommenced the process to
demerge its Wickes home improvement business, it said on
Tuesday. * LOOKERS: Lookers Plc LOOK.L said on Tuesday that the
Financial Conduct Authority has closed its investigation into
possible mis-selling of products by the motor retailer.
* ROBERT WALTERS: Robert Walters Plc RWA.L said on Tuesday
its annual profit slumped 75% as the COVID-19 pandemic continued
to affect hiring globally, even as the British recruiter saw
signs of recovery in the job market in the last few months of
2020. * WIZZ AIR: Passenger numbers at Wizz Air WIZZ.L plunged
87% in February compared to the same month last year, as the
pandemic's impact on travel worsened again. * FRESNILLO: Precious metals miner Fresnillo Plc FRES.L
reported a sharp jump in full-year pre-tax profit on Tuesday,
boosted by strong gold and silver prices, but the company said
it remains cautious for 2021 due to the continued impact of the
pandemic in Mexico. * TAYLOR WIMPEY: Britain's third-largest homebuilder Taylor
Wimpey TW.L said the 2021 selling season has started well,
ahead of possible additional incentives for the sector in the
budget, and resumed dividend payment as promised. * MAN GROUP: British hedge fund manager Man Group EMG.L on
Tuesday posted a slide in its 2020 core pretax profit, but
raised its total dividend by 8% as funds under management
touched a record high. * CRODA: Specialty chemical company Croda CRDA.L said on
Tuesday that it expects its deal to supply additives for
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to help support growth in its life
sciences business, after reporting a drop in 2020 profit.
* RENISHAW: Engineering firm Renishaw Plc RSW.L said on
Tuesday it was seeking a buyer for itself after the company's
founders said they intended to sell their majority stake in the
company. * ASTRAZENECA: People in France aged over 65 with existing
health problems can be given the AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) AZN.L COVID-19
vaccine, France's health minister said on Monday, departing from
Paris's earlier stance that the vaccine should be for under-65s
only. * ASTRAZENECA: Canada's National Advisory Committee on
Immunization released new guidelines on Monday that advise
against vaccinating people who are 65 years and older with
AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, citing lack of information about
efficacy in that age group. * BREXIT: The shift in financial staff and assets from the
City of London to the European Union because of Brexit has eased
after Britain completed its full departure from the bloc, a
tracker from consultants EY showed. * TAXES: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed in
an interview with the Sun newspaper that his green agenda will
not lead to any new tax rises. * VACCINES: The Pfizer PFE.N and AstraZeneca vaccines are
more than 80% effective at preventing hospitalisations from
COVID-19 in those over 80 after one dose of either shot, Public
Health England said on Monday, citing a pre-print study.
* REGULATOR: Britain's financial watchdog must act faster on
scams, its chair said on Monday. * GOLD: Gold prices slumped to their lowest in 8-1/2 months,
as a stronger dollar and elevated U.S. Treasury yields eroded
investor appetite for the non-yielding metal. * OIL: Oil prices fell more than 1%, extending losses that
began last week, as investors unwound long positions on concern
that OPEC may agree to increase global supply in a meeting this
week and Chinese demand may be slipping. * British shares rose on Monday, led by homebuilders and
miners on reports of more domestic fiscal support. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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