Feb 24 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 29
points lower at 6,597 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* BHP: BHP Group BHP.AX has launched a joint investigation with an
indigenous group into what caused a rock fall at a culturally significant rock
shelter at its iron ore operations in Western Australia, both groups
said. * VODAFONE: Vodafone Egypt VODE.CA has signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to buy 20% stakes in two digital payment companies, Bee and
Masary, it said in a statement on Tuesday. * ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) Plc AZN.L has told the European Union it
expects to deliver less than half the COVID-19 vaccines it was contracted to
supply in the second quarter, an EU official told Reuters on
Tuesday. * DIVERSITY: Britain's investment industry trade body has warned companies
they must show progress on boardroom ethnic diversity or risk pushback at their
2021 annual general meetings. * GOLD: Gold gained, hovering close to a one-week high hit in the previous
session, as a weaker dollar and remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell
that the U.S. economy still needed support boosted bullion's appeal. * OIL: Oil prices fell after industry data showed a surprise build in U.S.
crude stocks last week as a deep freeze in the southern states curbed demand
from refineries that were forced to shut. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.2% higher on Tuesday bucking the
trend in Europe as optimism around an economic recovery led by plans to ease
restrictions in Britain offset a spike in the domestic unemployment
rate. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Metro Bank Plc MTRO.L FY results
Petrofac Ltd PFC.L FY results
Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc RB.L FY results
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