(Adds news items, futures)
May 13 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 22
points lower at 6,983 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures FFIc1 seen down 0.79% ahead of the cash market open.
* ROLLS ROYCE: Rolls-Royce RR.L stuck to its guidance to turn free cash
flow positive at some point during the second half of 2021 as vaccinations kick
in and travellers return to the skies. * HARGREAVES LANSDOWN: Hargreaves Lansdown HRGV.L reported a rise in
assets under administration during the past four months. * BT: BT BT.L said it would extend its full-fibre broadband network to 25
million premises by the end of 2026. * INTERTEK: Intertek Group ITRK.L agreed to buy private-equity owned SAI
Global Assurance for A$855 million. * BURBERRY: Burberry BRBY.L reported a 10% drop in sales for the year to
end-March, weighed down by the COVID-19 pandemic. * BEAZLEY: Beazley BEZG.L posted a 16% rise in gross written premiums to
$971 million in the first quarter. * ALPHAWAVE IP GROUP: Alphawave IP Group PLC IPO-ALP.L said it has sold
856 million pounds of shares in its London initial public offering. * BP: A resolution from a climate activist group demanding BP BP.L set
tougher emission reduction targets was supported by 20.6% of shareholder votes
on Wednesday, pointing to growing investor pressure. * HOUSE PRICES: A measure of British house price inflation hit its highest
level in four decades in April as buyers raced to take advantage of an extended
tax break just as sellers retreated from the market, a survey
showed. * GOLD: Gold edged up on hopes that the U.S. Federal Reserve would not raise
interest rates anytime soon. * OIL: Oil prices fell as concerns about the coronavirus crisis in India,
tempered a rally driven by IEA and OPEC predictions that demand is coming back
strong. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.8% higher on Wednesday, supported
by positive earnings updates from companies including Diageo. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB