(Adds news items, updates futures)
June 5(Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen
opening higher on Friday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.9%, ahead of
cash market open.
* WORKSPACE: Workspace Group WKP.L said its full-year
profit nearly halved and it expected more trouble in the months
ahead. * TAYLOR WIMPEY: Taylor Wimpey TW.L has seen a surge in
interest in buying homes since it brought its sales centres and
show homes in England back on line. * PREMIER OIL: Premier Oil PMO.L will issue discounted
shares to activist hedge fund ARCM representing 8.91% of the
company to pay for North Sea assets from BP BP.L , which agreed
to reduce the price, Premier said. * CONSUMERS: British consumer confidence in late May fell to
its lowest in over a decade as COVID-19 hit the economy, a
survey showed. * RETAIL: UK retail sales dived 18% in May as the
coronavirus lockdown measures kept shopping streets empty, a
survey showed. * ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca AZN.L has doubled manufacturing
capacity for its potential coronavirus vaccine to 2 billion
doses in two deals involving Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates
that guarantee early supply to lower income countries.
* IAG: The boss of British Airways said its parent company
IAG ICAG.L was burning through 178 million pounds a week and
could not guarantee its survival, prompting him to urge unions
to engage over 12,000 job cuts. * OIL: Oil prices nudged higher as traders await cues from a
meeting that could take place as soon as this weekend where
major oil producers will discuss whether to extend record
production cuts. O/R
* UK shares hit their highest in nearly three-months on
Thursday on bets of a rebound in post-coronavirus economic
activity. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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