Dec 16 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 28 points higher
at 6,541 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* VACCINE: Britain has agreed to spend 3.7 billion pounds ($4.93 billion) on
COVID-19 vaccines and in most cases will bear the liability if claims are made
against the pharmaceutical firms involved, said the National Audit
Office(NAO). * COVID-19: More people in Britain oppose the government's plans to relax
COVID-19 restrictions for five days around Christmas than support them, a poll
showed. * GOLD: Gold prices rose to a one-week high as the metal built on the
previous session's rally on hopes for further U.S. stimulus, while investors
awaited the Federal Reserve's policy decision. * OIL: Oil prices dropped on a surprise gain in crude oil inventories in the
United States and as investors continued to worry about demand for fuel being
squeezed amid tighter lockdowns in Europe to counter the coronavirus
pandemic. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE pared its losses to about 0.3% on Tuesday
with consumer staples weighing the most. British mid-cap stocks gained ground in
the final hour of trading as renewed hopes of a Brexit trade agreement
overshadowed concerns over a weak labour market report and concerns over new
restrictions in London. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Dixons Carphone Plc DC.L HY earnings
Bunzl Plc BNZL.L Pre-close trading statement
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB