(Adds futures and news items)
Feb 5 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 3 points
lower at 6,501 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures
.FFIc1 up 0.05% ahead of cash market open.
* BEAZLEY: Beazley BEZG.L swung to a loss in 2020 as it was hit hard by
pandemic-related claims for cancelled or postponed events, but said it was
confident of returning to profit in 2021. * SIGNATURE AVIATION: The former owner of London's Gatwick Airport has
joined forces with Blackstone and Bill Gates' Cascade to bid for Signature
Aviation SIGSI.L in an offer valuing the private jet services firm at $4.73
billion, the companies said. * FRENCH CONNECTION: Struggling British fashion retailer French Connection
FCCN.L said it has received two takeover approaches. * ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) AZN.L said its cancer drug Imfinzi did not meet
the main goal of improving overall survival in a trial. * ENERGY: Energy prices for millions of Britons will likely rise from April
after the energy regulator said it would increase its cap on the most widely
used tariffs by around 9.2%. * COVID-19: Britain's hotel quarantine policy for travellers arriving from
COVID-19 hot spots will start on Feb. 15, the government announced on
Thursday. * GOLD: Gold inched up, recovering from a more than two-month low hit in the
previous session. * OIL: Oil prices climbed to their highest levels in a year, extending a run
of strong gains on signs of economic growth in the United States and a continued
commitment by producers to hold back crude supply. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.1% lower on Thursday, dragged down
by Unilever Plc ULVR.L and Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L over disappointing sales
goals and a slump in profit. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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