Dec 10 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 12 points higher
at 6,576
on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* BREXIT: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the EU's chief executive
gave themselves until the end of the weekend to seal a new trade pact after
failing to overcome persistent rifts over a "frank" and "lively" dinner of
turbot on Wednesday. * COVID-19: Britain's medicine regulator said anyone with a history of
anaphylaxis to a medicine or food should not get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19
vaccine, giving fuller guidance on an earlier allergy warning about the
shot. * ASTRAZENECA: Jenner Institute Director Adrian Hill, who oversees the
Oxford-AstraZeneca AZN.L COVID-19 vaccine research and development, said a
vaccine would not be available in the United States until "the middle of next
year" if regulators wait for the end of their vaccine trial. * HOUSE PRICES: British property surveyors reported that house prices
increased at close to their fastest rate in more than 20 years last month,
extending a post-lockdown boom, but they expect sales to fall when a temporary
tax break expires in March 2021. * LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE: London Stock Exchange Group LSE.L said on
Wednesday it expects the green light from outstanding regulatory scrutiny of its
$27 billion deal to buy data and analytics company Refinitiv. * GOLD: Gold prices were little changed after a steep sell-off in the
previous session as a breakthrough in long-running negotiations among U.S.
lawmakers over a pandemic relief package remained elusive. * OIL: Oil prices rose in early trade buoyed by a COVID-19 vaccine rollout
in Britain and the imminent approval of a vaccine in the United States, which
could spur a rebound in fuel demand, despite a large build in U.S. crude stocks
last week. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE edged higher on Wednesday ahead of talks
that could decide whether or not Britain ends 2020 with a messy no-deal exit
from the European Union. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
FirstGroup Plc FGP.L HY earnings
Marston's Plc MARS.L FY earnings
DS Smith Plc SMDS.L HY earnings
On The Beach Plc OTB.L FY earnings
Ocado Group Plc OCDO.L Q4 trading statement
Frasers Group Plc FRAS.L HY earnings
RWS Holdings Plc RWS.L FY earnings
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