Intel stock spikes after report of possible US government stake
(Adds futures, news items)
May 29 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen
opening 52 points lower on Friday, according to financial
bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 0.9%.
* B&M: B&M BMEB.L said it had traded strongly over the
last two months, driven by exceptional demand for do-it-yourself
and gardening products during the national lockdown.
* NATIONWIDE: Nationwide Building Society's POB_p.L annual
profit fell by 44%, it said as it warned of rising loan losses
because of the coronavirus pandemic. * SIG: SIG Plc SHI.L plans to raise 150 million pounds in
new equity with U.S. buyout firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, it
said, as it pointed to a bleak outlook after "disappointing"
results. * JOBS: Britain cannot run its COVID-19 jobs protection
scheme indefinitely and needs to start tapering it down as
people slowly return to work, environment minister George
Eustice said. * AUTOMOBILE: British car production could slump this year
to the lowest level in decades after the pandemic forced
factories to close and hit demand, according to an industry
body. * ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca's AZN.L top-selling drug
Tagrisso has been shown to hold back a certain type of lung
cancer when diagnosed at an early stage, the British drugmaker
said on Thursday. * GOLD: Gold inched up and was on track for its second
monthly gain as deteriorating U.S.-China ties in a world reeling
from the virus outbreak rattled investors and fuelled demand for
the safe-haven metal. * OIL: Oil prices edged lower after U.S. inventory data
showed lacklustre fuel demand in the world's largest oil
consumer. * UK shares ended higher on Thursday, helped by drugmakers
AstraZeneca and GSK as markets looked for more progress in the
development of a COVID-19 vaccine. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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