(Adds company news, futures)
July 12 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 21 points higher on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 0.5 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* PREMIER OIL: Premier Oil Plc PMO.L said it had discovered oil off the coast of Mexico at its Zama-1 exploration well in Block 7. JD WETHERSPOON: British pubs group JD Wetherspoon JDW.L said comparable sales for the 11 weeks to July 9 rose 5.3 percent, "probably" helped by unusually good weather. TESCO: Britain's competition regulator has referred supermarket Tesco 's TSCO.L proposed 3.7 billion pounds ($4.75 billion) takeover of wholesaler Booker BOK.L to a detailed investigation, ceding to a request from the companies to "fast track" the process. ROBERT WALTERS: British recruiter Robert Walters RWA.L said it expects profit before tax for the year to beat market expectations after it reported a jump in fee income in the second quarter. NEX GROUP: NEX Group Plc NXGN.L , the financial trading and technology company, reported a rise in first-quarter revenue as financial markets started to move towards more "normalised" conditions despite low volatility, with interest rate rises in the US and better economic conditions in Europe. BARRATT: Britain's largest builder Barratt BDEV.L posted a better-than-expected 12 percent rise in 2016/17 profit as selling prices rose but it only built 76 more homes than its previous financial year, despite government efforts to tackle a chronic shortage. GLENCORE: A federal court in Argentina has ordered the suspension of activities at Glencore Plc's GLEN.L Alumbrera gold and copper mine as part of a pollution complaint, according to court documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday. AMEC FOSTER: British oil and gas services company Amec Foster Wheeler AMFW.L and individuals associated with the business are under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the company said on Tuesday. HSBC HOLDINGS/UBS Group: HSBC Holdings Plc HSBA.L and UBS Group AG UBSG.S have each agreed to pay $14 million to settle private U.S. litigation accusing them of rigging an interest rate benchmark used in the $483 trillion derivatives market. OIL: Oil prices on Wednesday extended gains from the previous day as the U.S. government cut its crude production outlook for next year and as fuel inventories plunged. GOLD: Gold prices edged further away from a four-month low on Wednesday, as investors awaited testimony from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and central bank officials expressed caution about further interest rate hikes. COPPER: Copper prices climbed in Asia to their highest in more than one week on Wednesday amid a weaker U.S. dollar and concerns about industrial action that could further crimp mine supply. The UK blue chip index closed down 0.6 percent at 7,329.76 points on Tuesday, as Pearson (LON:PSON) and Marks & Spencer overshadowed gains in miners. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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