Britain's FTSE 100 (.FTSE) index is seen opening 5 points lower at 6,286 on Monday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures (FFIc1) almost flat ahead of cash markets open.
GSK: Britain's GSK (GSK.L) said it would invest 130 million pounds ($163.14 million) to buy a 10% stake in Germany's CureVac.
STHREE: British recruiting firm SThree Plc (STEMS.L) said its first-half profit nearly halved, as coronavirus lockdowns slowed hiring globally.
RIGHTMOVE: British property website Rightmove (LON:RMV) said a mini housing market boom was gathering pace after a tax cut by finance minister Rishi Sunak.
MARKS AND SPENCER: British retailer Marks and Spencer Group Plc (MKS.L) plans to announce hundreds of job cuts in the coming week, Sky News reported on Sunday, citing sources.
EUROPEAN UNION: European Union is negotiating advance purchase deals of potential COVID-19 vaccines with drugmakers Moderna (MRNA.O), Sanofi (SASY.PA) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) as well as biotech firms BioNtech (BNTX.O) and CureVac, two EU sources told Reuters.
COVID-19 VACCINE: Britain has signed deals to secure 90 million doses of two possible COVID-19 vaccines from the Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech (22UAy.F) alliance and French group Valneva (VLS.PA).
OIL: Oil prices fell on Monday, unnerved by the prospect that a recovery in fuel demand could be derailed by a rise in the pace of coronavirus infections around the world.
GOLD: Gold prices edged lower on Monday due to a stronger U.S. dollar, but worries over surging coronavirus cases and its impact on the global economy kept the safe-haven metal above the psychological level of $1,800 per ounce.
The UK blue-chip index (.FTSE) ended up 0.6% on Friday, bolstered chiefly by AstraZeneca AZN.L amid anticipation of a deal with Russia to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the drugmaker and Oxford University.
UK CORPORATE DIARY:
SThree Plc (STEMS.L) HY Earnings Release
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