(Adds company news items, futures)
July 17 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 20
points lower at 7,558 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures FFIc1 down 0.26% ahead of the cash market open.
* GALLIFORD: British builder Galliford Try Plc GFRD.L said on Wednesday it
expected annual pretax profit to be in line with analysts' estimates as a
reduction in exposure to Central London helped it ride out the worst effects of
a slowing UK housing market.
* ACACIA: Acacia Mining ACAA.L said on Wednesday that Tanzania has ordered
it to stop using tailing storage facility at its North Mara mine due to failure
to contain and prevent seepage. * GVC Holdings: Ladbrokes owner GVC Holdings Plc GVC.L on Wednesday
reported a steep fall in quarterly UK retail comparable revenue, hurt by
regulations that put a price cap at fixed odd betting terminals to two pounds
from the existing 100 pounds. * SAGA: Activist investor Elliott ECAL.UL has taken a position in
Britain's Saga Plc SAGAG.L , less than a month after the specialist tourism and
insurance firm warned that discounting was taking a heavy toll on its tours
business.
* FRESNILLO: Miner Fresnillo FRES.L cut its production targets for 2019 on
Wednesday, citing lower-than-expected grades of ore grades and delays in
construction work at its Herradura gold mine in Mexico as it reported
year-on-year falls in second-quarter output. * PREMIER FOODS: Bisto gravy and OXO cube maker Premier Foods PFD.L
reported higher group sales in the first-quarter as its Mr Kipling cakes and
Batchelors brands benefitted from a TV advertising push. * PREMIER OIL: Britain's Premier Oil PMO.L on Wednesday reduced its
forecast for its 2019 operating costs to $12 per barrel of oil equivalent (boe)
from $13 and expects debt reduction to reach the upper end of its $250-$350
million target by year-end. * TALKTALK: British broadband provider TalkTalk TALK.L said it had added
118,000 new customers to its fibre product in the three months to end June,
helping it to reiterate its full-year earnings target.
* SURVEY: British companies made no change to their marketing spending in
the second quarter this year compared to the previous quarter, as a leadership
change in Britain and continued ambiguity over Brexit made clients hesitant and
delayed decision making, a survey showed.
* OIL: Oil prices rose on Wednesday after steep falls in the previous
session, although U.S. crude trailed gains for international benchmark Brent
after U.S. crude inventories fell less than expected. * GOLD: Gold prices edged lower on Wednesday, as the dollar firmed on robust
U.S. retail sales data, while hopes of an interest rate cut by the Federal
Reserve and broad uncertainties over trade between Washington and Beijing kept a
lid on declines. * The UK blue chip index closed 0.6% higher on Tuesday as Burberry scaled an
11-month high after its first-quarter update showed new designs boosted sales,
and a weaker sterling aided exporter stocks, while mid-caps rose in a rare break
from the domestic currency. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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