Sept 16 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 30
points lower at 7,338 on Monday, according to financial bookmakers
* COBHAM: U.S. private equity firm Advent International is set to clinch its
4 billion pound ($4.99 billion) takeover of defence and aerospace group Cobham
Plc after Advent received support from more than 75% of shareholders,
the Financial Times reported on Friday.
* FIRSTGROUP: Britain's FirstGroup is pursuing potential options for
the separation of its UK First Bus business, a company spokesman said on Sunday.
* CENTRICA: A consortium of infrastructure funds led by Dalmore is in
advanced talks to buy a stake in Britain's nuclear power stations from EDF
Energy and Centrica Plc for about 1.2 billion pounds ($1.50
billion), Sky News reported on Saturday.
* OIL: Oil prices surged on Monday, with Brent crude posting its biggest
intra-day percentage gain since the start of the Gulf War in 1991, after an
attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities on Saturday shut in the equivalent of 5%
of global supply.
* GOLD: Gold prices jumped 1% on Monday as an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil
facilities dented risk appetite, boosting demand for the safe-haven bullion,
while investors awaited for clues on monetary easing from major central bank
meetings due this week.
* The UK blue chip index closed up 0.3% on Friday as optimism that a no-deal
Brexit could be avoided spurred a rally in stocks with domestic exposure,
overpowering losses in blue-chip exporter stocks that were hit by a stronger
sterling.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Petra Diamonds FY Results
Spire Healthcare HY Results
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
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($1 = 0.8021 pounds)
(Reporting by Justin George Varghese in Bengaluru)
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