March 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 30
points higher at 6,793 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* OSB GROUP: OSB Group OSBO.L said on Wednesday it had "very recently
become aware of potential fraudulent activity" involving a third party it
provides funding lines to and had hired forensic experts Smith & Williamson to
investigate. * VODAFONE: Vodafone VOD.L has priced shares in infrastructure unit
Vantage Towers VTWRn.DE at 24 euros each, valuing the firm at 12.1 billion
euros, Vantage Towers said. * ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) AZN.L said its scheduled deliveries of COVID-19
vaccines to Britain are unaffected and supply chain in the country is not
experiencing disruption, after Britain said vaccine supplies would dip at the
end of March. * COVID-19: Britain's supply of coronavirus vaccines is "lumpy", health
minister Matt Hancock said on Wednesday after a letter warned there would be a
significant reduction in the amount of vaccine available from March
29. * GOLD: Gold prices rose after the U.S. Federal Reserve reaffirmed its
stance to keep interest rate near zero until 2023. * OIL: Oil prices dropped after official data showed a sustained rise in
U.S. crude and fuel inventories. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.6% lower on Wednesday as investors
awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest policy statement for clues about the
central bank's stance on interest rates and inflation. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
888 Holdings 888.L FY results
Fevertree Drink FEVR.L FY results
EMIS Group EMISG.L FY result
Genel Energy GENL.L FY result
National Express Group NEX.L FY result
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