(Updates futures, add news items)
March 5 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher
on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.6% ahead of cash markets open.
* HYVE: UK-based event organiser Hyve HYVE.L said revenue and profit in
2020 will be hit after it postponed four events in Asia, as well as the Shoptalk
2020 and Groceryshop events in the U.S. due to the coronavirus epidemic.
* PREMIER OIL: British North Sea focused oil and gas producer Premier Oil
PMO.L reported a record free cash flow of $327 million last year, up around
30%, adding it would be more than 65% carbon neutral by 2025 and 100% by 2030.
* ITV: British broadcaster ITV ITV.L reported full-year adjusted earnings
of 729 million pounds ($939 million) for 2019, down 10% from a year earlier but
better than the market expectations, reflecting a decline in ad revenue and
strategic investments in the business. * SCHRODERS: British money manager Schroders SDR.L posted a 4% fall in
full-year pretax profit, hit by higher costs and a decrease in revenue margins
as market uncertainty led some investors to sell equities. * ADMIRAL: Car and home insurer Admiral Group Plc ADML.L said that its
co-founder and chief executive officer, David Stevens, would retire in 12
months' time. * CAPITA: Outsourcing group Capita CPI.L reported a sharp rise in net debt
in its full-year results and said it would have to invest more than initially
thought in its ongoing restructuring. * PAGE GROUP: Global recruiter PageGroup PAGE.L said gross profit fell by
3% in the first two months of 2020, mainly hurt by the coronavirus outbreak and
it expects to be hit further by the fast-spreading virus. * SAGA: Travel and insurance group Saga SAGA.L said it has seen a higher
level of near-term cancellations for its cruises and tours due to the
coronavirus epidemic. * RIO TINTO: Investors in Rio Tinto Ltd RIO.AX have renewed efforts to
force the world's biggest iron ore miner to commit to targets that would scale
back emissions of its customers in line with the Paris Agreement on combating
climate change. * FLYBE: British regional airline Flybe collapsed on Thursday after a plunge
in travel demand, making the struggling carrier the industry's first big
casualty of the coronavirus outbreak. * TESCO: Britain's biggest supermarket group, Tesco TSCO.L , will start
price matching Aldi on hundreds of everyday items, firing the latest salvo in
its fight to stem the market share gains of its rival. * INVESTMENT ASSOCIATION: Britain's investment industry trade body has
warned companies ahead of their 2020 annual general meetings that they must
disclose more about how they are handling climate change risk. * GOLD: Gold edged up on Thursday on safe-haven buying fuelled by worries
about the fast-spreading coronavirus, but a rise in equity markets limited
bullion's gains. * OIL: Oil prices climbed higher on Thursday ahead of an OPEC meeting in
which Saudi Arabia is expected to push the group and its allies including Russia
to agree to further output cuts to support the market. * EX-DIVS: BHP Group BHPB.L , Evraz EVRE.L , Persimmon PSN.L , Rio Tinto
RIO.L , RSA Insurance Group SA.L , Standard Chartered STAN.L will trade
without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 16.5
points off the FTSE 100 .FTSE , according to Reuters calculations.
* The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 1.5% on Wednesday as investors
bet on possible rate cuts in Europe after the U.S. Federal Reserve's emergency
move to protect the U.S. economy from the impact of the coronavirus on Tuesday.
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