June 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 24
points higher at 7,427 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* GSK: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) GSK.L has kicked off the sale of some
consumer health brands as it seeks to raise about 1 billion pounds ($1.26
billion) before pressing ahead with a spinoff of its consumer healthcare
business, sources told Reuters. * BP: A BP BP.L drilling rig reached its destination in the North Sea on
Wednesday after 11 days of delays due to Greenpeace protests over climate
change, the activist group said.
* GOLD: Gold prices surged as much as 1.8% to their highest in more than
five years on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve signalled possible
interest rate cuts later this year, sending the dollar and U.S. Treasury yields
lower. * OIL: Oil prices rose over 1 percent on Thursday as official data showed
U.S. crude stocks fell more than expected and as OPEC and other producers
finally agreed a date for a meeting to discuss output cuts. * EX-DIVS: Compass Group CPG.L , Land Securities LAND.L and United
Utilities UU.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out
on Thursday, trimming 1.83 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters
calculations.
* The UK blue chip index dipped 0.5% on Wednesday, weighed down by miners
after Rio Tinto cut its forecast for shipments from an Australian region, while
sterling's gains ahead of Bank of England meeting dragged down exporters.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Best Of The Best PLC BOTB.L Full Year 2019 Earnings
Caretech Holdings PLC CTH.L Half Year 2019 Earnings
Dixons Carphone PLC DC.L Full Year 2019 Earnings
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