Nov. 1 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 23 points lower at 7,106 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* BHP: Top global miner BHP BHP.AX BLT.L on Thursday said it would buy back shares and pay a special dividend to return $10.4 billion to shareholders, sticking to a promise to hand back all of the proceeds from the sale of its U.S. shale business. PATISSERIE VALERIE: David Scott, who used to run Druckers Vienna Patisserie , said on Wednesday he had no intention to make an offer or buy shares in Patisserie Valerie CAKEP.L , the British cafe chain hit by an accounting scandal. SPORTS DIRECT: Sports Direct International Plc SPD.L , the sportswear group controlled by billionaire Mike Ashley, said on Wednesday it had paid 8 million pounds ($10.2 million) to buy Evans Cycles after it fell into administration. EASYJET: Budget airline EasyJet EZJ.L said on Wednesday that it had submitted a revised expression of interest for a restructured Alitalia, in response to the new Italian government's ongoing sales process. GOLD: Gold recovered on Thursday from a three-week low hit in the previous session as the recent fall in the metal prices and an easing dollar from multi-month highs induced some bids. OIL: Oil prices fell on Thursday, extending losses in previous sessions, amid signs of rising supply and growing concerns that demand might weaken on the prospect of a global economic slowdown. The UK blue chip index closed up 1.3 percent on Wednesday as upbeat results from Standard Chartered STAN.L provided some respite from a grim October that put the market on track for its worst month since August 2015.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
* UK CORPORATE DIARY: Croda International PLC
CRDA.L
Q3 2018 Trading Statement Just Eat PLC
JE.L
Q3 2018 Order Update BT Group (LON:BT) PLC
BT.L
Half Year 2019 Earnings Smith & Nephew (LON:SN) PLC
SN.L
Q3 2018 Trading Statement Lancashire Holdings Ltd
LRE.L
Q3 2018 Earnings Indivior PLC
INDV.L
Q3 2018 Earnings
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines
PRESS/GB