(Adds company news items, futures)
Nov 2 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 0.5 to 0.8 percent lower on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 0.4 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* The UK blue chip index closed down 0.5 percent at 6,917.14 points on Tuesday, with Standard Chartered STAN.L and BP BP.L leading the market lower after their results failed to impress investors. NEXT: British clothing retailer Next NXT.L on Wednesday narrowed its full-year sales guidance as it reported a dip in third-quarter trading, though it maintained its profit forecast thanks to cost savings. PERSIMMON: Britain's second-biggest housebuilder Persimmon PSN.L said sales had risen since the vote to leave the EU, rising almost 20 percent in the last few months, the latest builder to shrug off an initial dip in demand in the aftermath of the referendum. BRITVIC: Coca-Cola Co KO.N , Ambev SA ABEV3.SA and Britvic Plc BVIC.L have shown preliminary interest in buying a stake in Brazilian juice maker Natural One SA, as global beverage giants seek to grow their platform of healthy drink choices, according to two people familiar with the matter. VECTURA: James Ward-Lilley, the former AstraZeneca AZN.L executive who created a UK respiratory medicine business in June by merging Vectura VEC.L and SkyePharma, is already thinking about his next deal, he said in an interview. STERLING: While changes in hard cash reserves at global central banks tend to be glacial, the hit to sterling from a potential "hard" UK exit from Europe's single market after more than 40 years could eventually undermine the pound's position in their coffers. ONESAVINGS BANK: OneSavings Bank Plc OSBO.L said on Tuesday Non-Executive Chairman Mike Fairey had resigned and would step down at the 2017 annual general meeting. BRITISH ECONOMY: Prices in British shops fell at a slower pace in October, potentially paving the way for outright rises early next year as the effect of a weaker currency is felt, the British Retail Consortium said on Wednesday. BRITISH BUDGET: British finance minister Philip Hammond will announce only a modest fiscal stimulus in the first post-Brexit vote budget statement later this month but will allow for more aggressive spending in future if needed, the Financial Times reported. OIL: Crude oil prices fell for a fourth day on Wednesday, as jittery investors awaited official U.S. stockpile figures later in the day after industry data showed a surprise build in inventories, underlining a persistent global glut. Brent crude LCOc1 was down 29 cents at $47.85 at 0456 GMT. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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