Feb 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 5 points
lower at 7,241.9 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* LLOYDS BANKING: Lloyds Banking Group Plc is set to unveil a 1
billion pound ($1.40 billion) share buyback plan and its three-year strategy,
Sky News reported.
* ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND: Britain lawmakers said on Tuesday they have
published in full a report by British regulators into how Royal Bank of Scotland
allegedly mistreated small businesses.
* BP: The emergence of self-driving electric cars and travel sharing are set
to dent oil consumption by 2040, oil and gas giant BP said, forecasting a
peak in demand for the first time.
* BHP: Global miner BHP,, seeking to fend off activist
investor Elliott Advisors, handed an extra $800 million to shareholders but its
share price slid on Tuesday after costs rose and interim results fell short of
forecasts.
* OIL: Oil prices fell on Wednesday, weighed down by a rebound in the U.S.
dollar from three-year lows hit last week and an expected rise in U.S. oil
production.
* GOLD: Gold prices fell further on Wednesday and hit a one-week low as the
dollar steadied after a recovery from last week's three-year low, while
investors awaited the minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's last policy meeting
for clues on the pace of interest rate hikes this year.
* METALS: London copper futures edged lower on Wednesday as the dollar held
near one-week highs versus a basket of currencies, with trading volumes in Asia
staying lean as Chinese markets remained shut for the Lunar New Year
break.
* BRITAIN-FARMING: The British government will publish a consultation paper
on future agriculture policy "very shortly", Environment Minister Michael Gove
said on Tuesday, as farmers demanded more clarity on their prospect after the
country quits the European Union.
* BRITAIN-EU/MARKETS: Britain should not force its regulators into
trade-offs between market stability and helping London remain a leading global
financial centre after the country leaves the European Union, a top regulator
said on Tuesday.
* The UK blue chip index ended the session flat at 7,246.77 points on
Tuesday.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
FirstGroup Plc Q3 2018 Trading Statement Release
Unite Group Plc Full Year 2017 Earnings Release
Barratt Developments Plc Half Year 2018 Earnings Release
Capital & Counties Properties Full Year 2017 Earnings Release
Plc
Lloyds Banking Group PLC Full Year 2017 Earnings Release
Hochschild Mining Plc Full Year 2017 Earnings Release
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
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($1 = 0.7154 pounds)
(Reporting by Harish Bhaskar)