(Adds futures, news items)
Dec 11 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 16
points lower at 6,584 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures
.FFIc1 down 0.1% ahead of the cash market open.
* LIBERTY GLOBAL-TELEFONICA: Britain said it had referred the merger between
broadband company Virgin Media and Telefonica 's TEF.MC UK mobile network O2 to
an in-depth competition investigation. * ROLLS-ROYCE: Rolls-Royce RR.L stuck to its guidance to turn cash flow
positive during the second-half of next year, despite warning that the outlook
remains challenging and the pace of the recovery is uncertain. * IHG: Intercontinental Hotels Group IHG.L has struck a deal with its
creditors to extend waivers of its debt covenants through the end of 2022, the
company said in a statement. * BELLWAY: Bellway Housebuilder Bellway BWY.L forecast a 25% rise in
annual volumes, saying home orders rose in the first few months of its fiscal
year. * BREXIT: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to get a Brexit trade
deal and there is a still a chance of getting one but he will not back down on
the two main outstanding issues, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said.
* SANOFI/GSK: An experimental COVID-19 vaccine of Sanofi SASY.PA and
Britain's GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L showed an insufficient immune response in
clinical trial results, the French drugmaker said. * BANKS: British banks can resume paying some dividends and bonuses after
the Bank of England said they appeared well capitalised and resilient to any
further coronavirus crisis fall-out. * GOLD: Gold edged up as the dollar held near a two-and-a-half-year low,
offsetting concerns over delays in a U.S. coronavirus package. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.5% higher on Thursday as oil
prices jumped to $50 per barrel for the first time since March on vaccine
optimism and as a weaker British pound supported the export-heavy index
GBP/ . For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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