Britain's FTSE 100 (.FTSE) index is seen opening 81 points higher at 6,228 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures (FFIc1) up 0.68% ahead of cash marktes open.
INTU PROPERTIES: Intu Properties (INTUP.L), which owns Manchester's Trafford Centre and Lakeside in Essex, will likely go into administration after it failed to reach a debt standstill deal with its creditors.
ASTON MARTIN: Aston Martin (AML.L) said it would issue new shares worth up to 20% of its existing equity capital as the luxury carmaker seeks additional funds to ride out the coronavirus crisis.
MARSTON'S: Marston's (MARS.L) said it was uncertain about its financial outlook in the short-term as it prepares to reopen pubs and restaurants on July 4.
TESCO: Tesco (TSCO.L), Britain's biggest retailer, said underlying UK sales rose 8.7% year-on-year in its first quarter to May 30.
EASYJET: British low-cost airline easyJet (EZJ.L) said it strengthened its finances by $255 million through the sale and leaseback of six A320neo aircraft with leasing firm SMBC Aviation Capital.
ASTRAZENECA: Daiichi Sankyo Co (4568.T) is in discussions with AstraZeneca PLc (LON:AZN) on developing supplies of a vaccine for the coronavirus in Japan.
JOHN MENZIES: Airport services group John Menzies (MNZS.L) said Chief Executive Officer Giles Wilson will resign to join Glenfiddich owner William Grant & Sons as the chief financial officer.
SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) restarted the gas oil hydrotreater at its joint-venture 318,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Deer Park, Texas, refinery on Thursday.
BRITISH AIRWAYS: British Airways, owned by IAG (ICAG.L), has made a proposal to its cabin crew that would mean those taking on a corresponding role under its restructuring proposals would be paid at least 80% of their current basic rate.
OIL COMPANIES: The attorney general for the District of Columbia on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) (NYSE:XOM), BP Plc (BP.L), Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX), and Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) for "systematically and intentionally misleading" consumers.
TARIFFS: Britain will reject any European Union proposal which gives the bloc the right to respond with tariffs to changes in British law following Brexit, chief negotiator David Frost said on Thursday.
INSURANCE: Britain's financial services compensation body is "keeping an eye" on insurers facing claims from companies whose business has been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
OIL: Oil prices rose, extending gains from the previous day on optimism about recovering fuel demand worldwide.
GOLD: Gold prices were headed for their third consecutive weekly gain on worries about rising global cases of the novel coronavirus.
METAL: Copper prices extended gains and they were set to post their sixth consecutive weekly rise, on concerns about disruptions in supply from key producing countries.
The UK blue-chip index (.FTSE) closed up 0.4% on Thursday, as banks and energy stocks climbed.
UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Marston's (MARS.L) HY Earnings Releases
Tesco (TSCO.L) Q1 Sales/Trading Statement
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB