(Adds company news items, futures)
May 30 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 2 points
higher at 7,188 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures
FFIc1 up 0.29% ahead of the cash market open.
* CHEVRON: Ithaca Energy Ltd is buying Chevron's CVX.N British North Sea
oil and gas field interests for $2 billion, the unit of Israel's Delek Group
DLEKG.TA said on Thursday.
* FIRSTGROUP: Train and bus operator FirstGroup FGP.L said on Thursday it
would sell U.S. coach service Greyhound and look to separate off its UK First
Bus operations as it seeks to head off pressure from major investors for
returns. * JOHNSON MATTHEY: Chemicals group Johnson Matthey JMAT.L on Thursday
reported a 48% jump in full-year earnings, bolstered by strength in its unit
that makes catalytic converters and other pollution filters for both car and
trucks.
* PENNON GROUP: Pennon Group PNN.L reported an 8.3% jump in full-year
earnings on Thursday, as strong performance by its waste recycling unit helped
the UK water utility and waste management company offset higher costs at its
South West Water business.
* GOLD: Gold prices inched down on Thursday as bonds rallied and the dollar
hovered near a two-year high, negating the support from an increasingly bitter
Sino-U.S. trade dispute that rekindled doubts about global economic growth.
* OIL: Oil prices rose on Thursday after an industry report showed a decline
in U.S. crude inventories that exceeded analyst expectations.
* EX-DIVS: Marks and Spencer MKS.L , National Grid NG.L , Sage Group
SGE.L and Whitbread WTB.L will trade without entitlement to their latest
dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 5.38 points off the FTSE 100 according to
Reuters calculations
* The UK blue chip index gave up 1.2% wobbled lower on Wednesday as signs of
an escalation in the China-U.S. trade conflict, coupled with growing worries of
a no-deal Brexit, hurt demand for risk. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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