UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Feb. 27

Feb 27 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 168 points lower at 6,875 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.

* NMC HEALTH: NMC Health NMC.L has removed Chief Executive Prasanth Manghat with immediate effect and granted its finance chief extended sick leave, as more details emerge from an investigation into the UAE healthcare firm's finances. LLOYDS BANKING GROUP/VIRGIN MONEY: Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L and Virgin Money (LON: VM ) VMUK.L pressed ahead with hundreds of job cuts in the face of union opposition, as British banks try to keep up with customers moving online. ASHMORE GROUP: Emerging markets investment manager Ashmore Group ASHM.L has defended the strategy of its short duration debt fund which has been clobbered by its exposure to two nations in crisis, Lebanon and Argentina. G4S (CSE: G4S ): G4S GFS.L said on Wednesday it would sell majority of its cash handling businesses to U.S. peer Brinks BCO.N for 727 million pounds ($944.66 million) including debt, as the British security contractor looks to focus on its core operations. EX-DIVS: Astrazeneca AZN.L , Barclays BARC.L , Diageo DGE.L , Easyjet EZJ.L , HSBC HSBA.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 27.8 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations. .L/XD

* London's mid-cap index slid to its lowest in more than three months on Wednesday amid worries that Britain's upcoming budget may disappoint investors, while the FTSE 100 snapped a four-day losing run after a rally on Wall Street. UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Netcall

NETC.L

HY Results Verona Pharma

VRP.L

FY Results EVRAZ

EVRE.L

FY Results Haydale Graphene Industries HAYD.L

HY Results Bakkavor Group

BAKK.L

FY Results Amigo Holdings

AMGO.L

FY Results Aston Martin

AML.L

FY Results RSA Insurance

RSA.L

FY Results Rentokil Initial

RTO.L

FY Results National Express

NEX.L

FY Results Inchcape

INCH.L

FY Results Howden Joinery

HWDN.L

FY Results St. James's Place

SJP.L

FY Results Hikma Pharmaceuticals

HIK.L

FY Results Drax Group (LON: DRX )

DRX.L

FY Results Mondi (LON: MNDI ) PLC

MNDI.L

FY Results Greencoat UK Wind

UKWG.L

FY Results Vesuvius

VSVS.L

FY Results British American Tobacco (LON: BATS )

BATS.L

FY Results Reckitt Benckiser Group

FY Results WPP (LON: WPP )

WPP.L

FY Results Genus

GNS.L

HY Results Provident Financial

PFG.L

FY Results Persimmon (LON: PSN )

PSN.L

FY Results Hunting

HTG.L

FY Results James Fisher and Sons

FSJ.L

FY Results

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/

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