(Adds futures, news items)
July 2 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen
opening 30 points higher on Thursday, according to financial
bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 1% ahead of the cash market
open.
* DS SMITH: DS Smith SMDS.L reported a 5% rise in annual
profit, bolstered by growing demand from e-commerce and consumer
goods customers. * MEGGITT: British engineering company Meggitt MGGT.L on
Thursday forecast an about 15% drop in first-half organic
revenue as demand from planemakers dried up. * PREMIER OIL: Premier Oil PMO.L said it will not acquire
the additional 25% interest in the Tolmount gas project from
South Korea's Dana Petroleum. * MITCHELLS & BUTLERS: Britain's Mitchells & Butlers MAB.L
posted a first-half loss as pubs were shuttered during the
lockdown. * AB Foods: Associated British Foods ABF.L said that
trading in its Primark fashion stores that have reopened after
coronavirus lockdown has been "reassuring and encouraging".
* ROYAL MAIL: Royal Mail RMG.L and its largest labour
union have agreed to start talks to settle a long-running
dispute over pay and operational changes, the former British
postal monopoly said on Wednesday. * BP: BP Plc BP.L said it completed the sale of its
Prudhoe Bay oil and gas producing properties to closely-held
Hilcorp Energy. * OIL: Oil prices rose reversing early losses, as a sharp
drop in oil stockpiles outweighed concerns that a spike in U.S.
coronavirus infections and revived lockdown measures in
California could stall a recovery in fuel demand. * London's mid-cap index ended higher on Wednesday on hopes
of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, while optimism over fresh
stimulus and a pickup in economic activity in the second half of
the year persisted. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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