(Adds futures, news items)
Sept 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 31
points lower on Monday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1
down 1.2%, ahead of cash market open.
* GO-AHEAD/FIRSTGROUP: UK train companies Go-Ahead GOG.L and FirstGroup
FGP.L said they had signed new contracts with the government to keep running
rail services for the next 6-18 months. * ASTRAZENECA: A European regulatory panel has recommended the approval of
Lynparza, a blockbuster cancer treatment developed by AstraZeneca Plc AZN.L
and Merck & Co Inc MRK.N , to treat two separate forms of cancer. * INFORMA: Informa INF.L recorded COVID-19 impairment charges of around
592.9 million pounds, pushing it to a half-year operating loss as it struggled
with one of the worst downturns in the industry. * SUPERDRY: Superdry SDRY.L said its trading performance has improved in
the months since April despite uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic as the
British fashion retailer posted an annual loss from store closures. * LOCKDOWNS: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pondering a second
national COVID-19 lockdown as the novel coronavirus outbreak
accelerates. * HOUSING: Surging activity in Britain's housing market nudged up asking
prices for homes in September, as buyers sought larger properties following the
coronavirus lockdown, a survey showed.
* MANUFACTURING: British manufacturers see no evidence of a 'V'-shaped
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic underway and many are planning to slash
investment, a business survey showed. * LOANS: British finance minister Rishi Sunak is set to extend the
Treasury's UK-wide programme of business support loans to help companies
affected by the pandemic, the Financial Times reported late on Sunday.
* OIL: Oil prices edged higher as a tropical storm took aim for the U.S.
Gulf of Mexico region halting some production. * Consumer stocks weighed down London's mid-cap index on Friday after a rise
in new coronavirus cases stoked fears of new lockdown measures. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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