UK : Factors to watch on Nov 23
Nov 23 Britain’s FTSE 100 index is seen opening 34 to 41 points higher, or as much as 0.6 percent, on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures up 0.46 percent ahead of the cash market open.* The UK blue chip index closed up 0.6 percent at 6,819.72 on Tuesday, buoyed by record-highs reached by Wall Street and a rally in mining shares.
* PARAGON: Lender Paragon Group of Companies Plc posted a 6.7 percent rise in full-year pretax profit on the back of strong customer demand and new business activity, despite tax changes and uncertainty due to Britain’s vote to leave the EU.
* THOMAS COOK: British travel company Thomas Cook posted broadly flat annual profit after its attempt to grow was hampered by customers turning their backs on holidays to Turkey, and said it was encouraged by future demand for trips abroad.
* UK BUDGET: Britain’s finance minister will say on Wednesday that he is raising the minimum wage and taking the edge off a benefits squeeze for low earners, but fixing the public finances will be a bigger priority as the country gets ready for Brexit.
* UK BREXIT: European Parliament leaders told London’s Brexit negotiator on Tuesday that Britain should expect to be shut out of cooperation in areas it values once it leaves the European Union.
* UK FINANCE FIRMS: U.S. insurer AIG may move its European headquarters from London to another European Union country because of Britain’s vote to leave the EU, the head of the AIG’s European and UK operations said at an industry conference on Tuesday.
