Dec 11 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 (.FTSE) index is seen opening 16 points lower at 6,584 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures (.FFIc1) down 0.1% ahead of the cash market open.
Liberty Global-Telefonica: Britain said it had referred the merger between broadband company Virgin Media and Telefonica 's (TEF.MC) UK mobile network O2 to an in-depth competition investigation.
Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce (RR.L) stuck to its guidance to turn cash flow positive during the second-half of next year, despite warning that the outlook remains challenging and the pace of the recovery is uncertain.
IHG: Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG.L) has struck a deal with its creditors to extend waivers of its debt covenants through the end of 2022, the company said in a statement.
Bellway: Bellway Housebuilder Bellway (BWY.L) forecast a 25% rise in annual volumes, saying home orders rose in the first few months of its fiscal year.
Brexit: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to get a Brexit trade deal and there is a still a chance of getting one but he will not back down on the two main outstanding issues, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said.
Sanofi/GSK: An experimental COVID-19 vaccine of Sanofi (SASY.PA) and Britain's GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) showed an insufficient immune response in clinical trial results, the French drugmaker said, a blow to efforts to find ways to fight the pandemic.
Banks: British banks can resume paying some dividends and bonuses after the Bank of England said they appeared well capitalised and resilient to any further coronavirus crisis fall-out.
Retail: With prospects for a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU looking precarious, Britain's retail industry repeated a warning that shoppers faced higher food prices from next year if new tariffs were imposed in the absence of an agreement.
Gold: Gold edged up as the dollar held near a two-and-a-half-year low, offsetting concerns over delays in a U.S. coronavirus package.
Oil: Oil rose, extending a sharp rally overnight that saw Brent rise above $50 for the first time since March, as coronavirus vaccination rollouts kept hopes alive that demand for crude would build up next year.
The UK blue-chip index (.FTSE) closed 0.5% higher on Thursday as oil prices jumped to $50 per barrel for the first time since March on vaccine optimism and as a weaker British pound supported the export-heavy index GBP/.
UK corporate diary:
Bellway Plc (BWY.L) Trading statement
Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc (RR.L) Trading statement
Anglo American Plc (AAL.L) Investor update