Feb 24 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 29 points lower at 6,597 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* BHP: BHP Group BHP.AX has launched a joint investigation with an indigenous group into what caused a rock fall at a culturally significant rock shelter at its iron ore operations in Western Australia, both groups said. VODAFONE: Vodafone (LON:VOD) Egypt VODE.CA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to buy 20% stakes in two digital payment companies, Bee and Masary, it said in a statement on Tuesday. ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) Plc AZN.L has told the European Union it expects to deliver less than half the COVID-19 vaccines it was contracted to supply in the second quarter, an EU official told Reuters on Tuesday. DIVERSITY: Britain's investment industry trade body has warned companies they must show progress on boardroom ethnic diversity or risk pushback at their 2021 annual general meetings. GOLD: Gold gained, hovering close to a one-week high hit in the previous session, as a weaker dollar and remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that the U.S. economy still needed support boosted bullion's appeal. OIL: Oil prices fell after industry data showed a surprise build in U.S. crude stocks last week as a deep freeze in the southern states curbed demand from refineries that were forced to shut. The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.2% higher on Tuesday bucking the trend in Europe as optimism around an economic recovery led by plans to ease restrictions in Britain offset a spike in the domestic unemployment rate. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Metro Bank Plc
FY results Petrofac Ltd
FY results Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc
FY results
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