(Adds futures, news items)
Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 1 point lower at 6,268 on
Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 0.2%
ahead of cash markets open.
* ANTOFAGASTA: Chilean miner Antofagasta ANTO.L maintained its copper
production and cost targets for the year as it reported lower second-quarter
output. * KINGFISHER: Home improvement retailer Kingfisher KGF.L forecast first
half underlying profit ahead of last year after strong second quarter
trading. * STAGECOACH: British transport company Stagecoach SGC.L said it was
difficult to forecast future profitability after its earnings per share fell 39%
in its 2019-2020 financial year.
* BRITVIC: British soft drinks maker Britvic BVIC.L posted lower
third-quarter revenue, as fewer people drank its beverages in public places due
to the coronavirus-induced lockdowns. * MELROSE: Turnaround specialist Melrose Industries MRON.L signalled it
could lay off an unspecified number of employees as the company trims costs to
cope with the coronavirus-led downturn. * AVIATION: Britain is working on additional measures to help an aviation
sector battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps
said. * OIL: Oil prices fell as industry data showed a bigger-than-expected
inventory build in the United States, where climbing coronavirus cases may
further dent fuel demand in the world's biggest oil consumer. * GOLD: Gold jumped more than 1% on Wednesday to its highest in nearly nine
years, driven by a weaker dollar and as expectations of more stimulus to
resuscitate pandemic-hit economies lifted the metal's appeal as an
inflation-hedge. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.1% higher, as gains in energy were
offset by drugmaker AstraZeneca AZN.L . The stock retreated from life-time
highs after the lead developer of its vaccine expressed caution over when the
vaccine could be rolled out. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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