May 14(Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen
opening 56 points lower on Thursday, according to financial
bookmakers.
* HOUSING MARKETS: British house prices are likely to fall
as the market slowly begins to reopen, after a collapse in
activity due to COVID-19 restrictions last month, a survey
showed. * TARIFFS: The United Kingdom is planning to cut tariffs on
U.S. agricultural imports to advance progress on a free trade
agreement, the Financial Times reported . * LSE: The London Stock Exchange on Wednesday formally asked
the European Union's competition officials to approve its $27
billion takeover of data and analytics company Refinitiv.
* GOLD: Gold eased as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome
Powell downplayed the possibility of negative interest rates,
but his warning of an extended period of weak economic growth
capped the metal's losses. * OIL: Oil prices were lifted by an unexpected drop in U.S.
crude stocks, but gains were capped by both a bleak outlook for
the world's no. 1 economy as the coronavirus pandemic crushes
fuel demand and concern over a potential second wave of cases.
* UK stocks fell on Wednesday after data showed the economy
contracted in March at a pace never seen before as the
coronavirus crisis escalated, while analysts warned of more pain
ahead. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
easyJet EZJ.L HY 2020 Earnings Release
Balfour Beatty BALF.L Q1 2020 Trading Statement
Hargreaves Lansdown HRGV.L Trading Statement Release
Prudential PRU.L Trading Update
Indivior INDV.L Trading update
WH Smith SMWH.L Half Year results
BT Group BT.L FY 2020 Earnings Release
Burberry Group BRBY.L Q4 2020 Earnings Release
3i Group III.L FY 2020 Earnings Release
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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