(Adds news items, futures)
Sept 25 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down 17
points at 7,274 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures
FFIc1 down 0.5%ahead of the cash market open.
* PZ CUSSONS: Cosmetics and soap maker PZ Cussons Plc PZC.L said it
expects conditions in its key markets to be challenging for the rest of the
first half, as it reported declining first-quarter revenue in Asia-Pacific and
Africa. * ASTON MARTIN: Luxury carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda AML.L said it had
raised $150 million from a bond issue, with the option to raise another $100
million if order targets are met, to improve its liquidity in a uncertain
trading environment. * UNITED UTILITIES: United Utilities Group Plc UU.L forecast higher
underlying profit and revenue for the first half, but said it expects debt to
rise because of a repayment of 100 million pounds to its pension scheme and the
impact of new reporting standards. * SAINSBURY'S: British supermarket group Sainsbury's SBRY.L said its
trading performance improved in its latest quarter as it detailed a new plan to
cut costs and reduce debt. * THOMAS COOK: More than 70 flights were scheduled to operate on Wednesday,
Britain's Civil Aviation Authority said, to bring back 16,500 people after the
collapse of travel firm Thomas Cook. * HORNBY: Hornby Plc HRN.L , the maker of Thomas & Friends model train
sets, said it was aware of potential supply disruptions at ports after Brexit as
the Christmas trading season approaches. * THOMAS COOK: Germany will guarantee a 380 million euro bridging loan for
Condor, the German airline owned by insolvent British travel operator Thomas
Cook TCG.L , to enable it to continue flying and save jobs, the economy
minister said on Tuesday.
* IP GROUP: Embattled fund manager Neil Woodford is set to sell his entire
stake in British intellectual property company IP Group IPO.L in an
accelerated book build, the bookrunner said on Tuesday.
* FINANCIAL ADVISERS: Britain's markets watchdog threatened on Tuesday to
close "every single advisory firm" that continues to wrongly tell people to cash
in their defined benefit pensions.
* OIL: Oil prices fell for a second day on worries about falling fuel demand
after U.S. President Donald Trump's comments doused optimism over U.S.-China
trade talks and reignited concerns on global economic growth.
* GOLD: Gold prices inched lower as some investors booked profit, but the
metal remained supported below a three-week peak hit in the prior session as the
launch of a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump stoked
political worries. * The UK blue chip index closed close 0.5% lower on Tuesday after the
Supreme Court ruled that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to shut
down parliament in the run-up to Brexit was unlawful. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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