(Adds futures, news items)
Nov 22 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 25 points higher
at 7,264 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up
0.4% ahead of the cash market open.
* NATIONWIDE: Nationwide Building Society POB_p.L reported a 33% fall in
profit for the first half of its financial year, as it took a fresh charge for
mis-selling insurance products and saw margins fall in Britain's competitive
mortgage market. * LAND SECURITIES: Land Securities Group LAND.L said on Friday Robert Noel
will step down from his role as chief executive officer, just 10 days after the
British property developer posted a loss for the first half as store closures
took a toll. * RIGHTMOVE: British property website operator Rightmove Plc RMV.L said it
has named Andrew Fisher, former boss of now Apple-owned app Shazam, as its
chairman to succeed Scott Forbes, who has held the role for more than 14 years.
* PLAYTECH: Gambling software maker Playtech Plc PTEC.L said on Friday it
expects full-year adjusted core earnings to fall short of market consensus, as
its division that develops systems for trading was hit by tough conditions.
* BREXIT: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party election
manifesto will be released by next week, deputy finance minister Rishi Sunak
said. * ST. JAMES'S PLACE: British wealth manager St. James's Place SJP.L on
Thursday named Helena Morrissey, former head of personal investing business at
Legal & General Group LGEN.L , as a non-executive director with effect from
Jan. 1. * REACH: British media company Reach Plc RCH.L has pulled out of talks to
buy hundreds of local newspaper titles from JPI Media, the Financial Times
reported on Thursday, citing two people briefed on the talks.
* OIL: Oil prices pulled back from their highest levels in nearly two months
on Friday amid continued uncertainty over whether the United States and China
will be able to reach a partial trade deal that would lift some pressure on the
global economy. * GOLD: Gold prices held steady as doubts prevailed over an interim trade
deal being reached between the United States and China this year. * The UK blue chip index shed 0.3% on Thursday on concerns about U.S.-China
relations and the opposition Labour Party's election manifesto plans to raise
taxes on companies and renationalise infrastructure groups. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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