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Sept 4 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open 16points higher at 7,284 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, withfutures up 0.6%ahead of the cash market open.
* BARRATT: Britain's biggest housebuilder Barratt Developments Plcreported higher annual pretax profit, benefiting from higher margins even as itfaced a tough real estate market.
* QUIZ: British retailer QUIZ Plc said on Wednesday the number ofshoppers walking into its fast-fashion stores has fallen this year, underscoringa muted UK high street ahead of Brexit, and warned that conditions were expectedto remain difficult.
* RBS: Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland could have to shell out afurther 900 million pounds to settle a final compensation bill for mis-sellingpayment protection insurance after a last-minute surge in claims from customers.
* JUST GROUP: British specialist pension provider Just Groupposted a 27% fall in first-half underlying operating profit to 114 millionpounds ($139.96 million) due to a drop in new business profit, itsaid.
* KAINOS: Digital services company Kainos Group said on Wednesdayit was cautious about public-sector spending in Britain, with the course ofBrexit unresolved and possible outcomes including a turbulent "no-deal" exit.
* Dunelm Group posted on Wednesday a 23% jump in its annual pretaxprofit, but the British homewares retailer said it would maintain a cautiousstance about its full-year outlook due to uncertainty over Britain's exit fromthe European Union.
* BHP: Several BHP Group shareholders, including the Church ofEngland pension fund, are recommending the company suspend its membership inindustry groups that advocate for policies inconsistent with the Paris climatechange agreement.
* BP: Operations at BP Plc's 430,000 bpd Whiting, Indiana, refinerywere continuing normally with no units shut, said sources familiar with plantoperations on Monday.
* SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell Plc restarted the coker at its225,300-barrel-per-day (bpd) Norco, Louisiana, refinery on Saturday, saidsources familiar with plant operations.
* DIAGEO: Scottish union Unite on Tuesday disclosed a series of strikeaction dates at some of Diageo Plc's plants after talks over pay raisefell through between the British beverage giant and two of its biggest Scottishunions.
* BREXIT: British finance minister Sajid Javid will announce increases inpublic spending on Wednesday, preparing the ground for a possible snap electioncall by Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is seeking a way to break resistance tohis Brexit plans.
* BREXIT: The speaker of Britain's House of Commons, John Bercow, approvedan emergency debate in parliament on Brexit put forward by a group of lawmakerswho are seeking to block leaving the EU without a deal.
* GOLD: Gold held steady after rising 1% in the previous session, withprices hovering near a more than six-year high on heightened fears of a globalrecession following weak U.S. data, the prolonged Sino-U.S. trade spat andBrexit uncertainties.
* OIL: Oil prices recovered some ground after touching their lowest in closeto a month during the previous session on concerns that a weakening globaleconomy could depress demand.
* London-listed stocks most exposed to the British economy fell as investorsworried the country was heading for a chaotic no-deal exit from the EuropeanUnion or an early national election, while global growth concerns alsopersisted.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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(Reporting by Shanima A in Bengaluru)
