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Feb 24 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index .FTSE is seen opening lower 24 to 32 points, or as much as 0.5 percent, on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers. Futures FFIc1 were up 0.04 percent at 0754 GMT ahead of the cash market open. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on The UK blue-chip index closed 1.3 percent lower at 5,962.31 on Tuesday, hurt by falls in Standard Chartered STAN.L and BHP Billiton BLT.L , which more than offset a rise in LSE Group LSE.L . BHP BILLITON: Brazilian police in the state of Minas Gerais on Tuesday accused six Samarco executives and one contractor of murder in connection with the deaths of 19 people caused by a burst tailings dam at a mine in November. Samarco is a joint venture between BHP Billiton BLT.L and Brazil's Vale VALE5.SA . INTERNATIONAL PERSONAL FINANCE: Consumer credit lender International Personal Finance IPF.L reported a 6 percent fall in full-year underlying pretax profit as growth in Europe slowed due to intensifying competition from payday lenders and banks, especially in Poland and the Czech Republic. WEIR: Scottish engineering firm Weir Group Plc WEIR.L said its pretax profit for the year nearly halved, as its customers continued to delay spending in order to weather the slump in oil prices. PETROFAC: British oilfield services company Petrofac Ltd PFC.L said net profit for the year, before accounting for a loss from its Shetland Islands project, fell by nearly a quarter, as its customers held back on spending due to the slump in oil prices.
* BT: BT BT.L said it would increase investment in superfast broadband, including more fibre to the home, if regulator Ofcom decides against forcing a break-up of the company. BREXIT: The economy trumps sovereignty and immigration as the key issue for Britons when they consider whether to vote to stay in or pull out of the European Union, data from an authoritative survey of public attitudes suggests. UK PAPERS
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