(Adds futures, news items)
Aug 4 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 12 points
lower at 6,021 on Tuesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures
FFIc1 down 0.1% ahead of cash markets open.
* EASYJET: British low cost airline easyJet EZJ.L said it planned to fly
about 40% of its capacity over the rest of the summer, more than it had
originally scheduled on better than expected booking demand. * DIAGEO: Diageo Plc DGE.L , the world's largest spirits maker, reported a
bigger-than-expected decline in underlying net sales as demand for its whiskies,
vodka and gin fell in all markets except North America. * BABCOCK: British engineering group Babcock International 's BAB.L
underlying profits slumped about 40% in the first quarter as higher costs from
the coronavirus downturn hurt its operations, while sales from its core business
grew slightly. * CENTAMIN: Gold miner Centamin Plc CEY.L reported higher first-half
pretax profit, buoyed by increased output from its Sukari mine in Egypt and
rising bullion prices on coronavirus driven safe-haven demand. * DIRECT LINE: Britain's biggest car insurer Direct Line DLGD.L boosted
its interim dividend and declared a special payout to make up for cancelling its
2019 dividend, after reporting a small drop in first-half operating
profit. * OIL: Oil prices slid amid concerns that a nascent recovery in fuel demand
could stall as a fresh wave of COVID-19 infections around the world sparks
tighter lockdowns just as major producers ramp up output. * GOLD: Gold prices held steady near record highs as worries over the global
economic fallout from mounting COVID-19 cases offset pressure from a rebound in
the U.S. dollar. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 2.3% on Monday, as an uptick in
UK factory activity tied in with similar data from Germany and United States to
raise economic recovery hopes. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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