(Adds FTSE futures move, company news items)
March 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 58
points higher on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1
up 4%.
* INCHCAPE: UK's Inchcape INCH.L on Friday suspended its 150 million pound
($176.04 million) share buyback programme launched last month, citing the
uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic. * TRAVIS PERKINS: Travis Perkins TPK.L , Britain's biggest building
materials group, said on Friday it was putting the separation of its Wickes home
improvement unit on hold and suspending its full-year dividend, citing extreme
market volatility due to the coronavirus pandemic. * J D WETHERSPOON: Pub operator J D Wetherspoon JDW.L on Friday cancelled
its dividend and said it expects profits below market expectations as long as
the coronavirus crisis continues. * IHG: Holiday Inn owner IHG IHG.L said on Friday demand for hotels was
currently at the lowest levels it had ever seen, announcing a series of measures
to cut costs and ride out the worldwide shutdowns and travel restrictions caused
by the coronavirus. * CMC MARKETS: Trading platform CMC Markets CMCX.L on Friday upgraded its
annual earnings targets for the fourth time in less six months, as the frantic
selling driven by the coronavirus drove huge rises in financial market
volatility and trading volumes. * M&S: British retailer Marks & Spencer MKS.L said on Friday trading over
the next 9-12 months in its clothing and homewares and international businesses
was likely to be "severely impacted" by the coronavirus. * HEATHROW: Britain's Heathrow Airport said it would shrink its operation as
part of a plan to keep open for some cargo and passenger flights during the
coronavirus crisis, which has brought most air travel to a standstill.
* BOE: The Bank of England said on Friday it was cancelling this year's
stress test of eight major banks and building societies to enable them to focus
on providing lending through the coronavirus crisis. * BRITISH AIRWAYS: British Airways pilots will face a 50% pay cut to their
basic salary for April and May, as the airline seeks to reduce its cost to try
and survive the coronavirus crisis, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
* BRITISH AIRWAYS: British Airways planes could be seen parked up at
London's Heathrow Airport on Thursday, as the airline begins the process of
grounding a large part of its fleet. * ECONOMY: Britain will take further desperate measures to stem the collapse
of its economy on Friday, when finance minister Rishi Sunak will outline plans
to prop up companies and workers who face hardship from the coronavirus
outbreak. * CITY AM: London-based City AM newspaper will temporarily suspend its print
operation as the publishing industry faces the impact of the coronavirus
outbreak. * CARNIVAL: Carnival Corp CCL.N CCL.L on Thursday reported first-quarter
loss compare with a year-ago profit, hurt by canceled and disrupted trips due to
the coronavirus outbreak across the globe. * BP: Oil major BP BP.L said on Thursday it is not experiencing "any
serious disruption" to its operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak. * CORONAVIRUS: The prime ministers of Ireland and Britain agreed in a phone
call on Thursday to align in so far as possible the neighbouring countries
actions to help slow the spread of coronavirus, a spokesman for the Irish
government said.
* BOE: The Bank of England promised 200 billion pounds of bond purchases and
cut its key interest rate to 0.1% in a second emergency move in just over a week
to try to mitigate the hit to Britain's economy from the coronavirus outbreak.
* GOLD: Gold prices rose 1% as safe-haven buying offset a rush for cash amid
fears over the economic hit from the coronavirus, but bullion was headed for a
second weekly drop as investors sold the metal to meet margin calls in other
assets. * COPPER: London copper prices fell sharply, erasing gains made late in the
previous session, as the coronavirus-driven sell-off resumed despite growing
economic stimulus across the globe. * OIL: U.S. crude oil prices rose over $1, extending steep gains from the
previous session, after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted he may intervene in
the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia at an "appropriate
time". * Britain's top shares ended a volatile session higher on Thursday after the
Bank of England cut interest rates to a record low and ramped up its bond-buying
programme in a bid to rescue the economy from the coronavirus crisis.
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