(Adds futures, company news items)
Oct 25 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up by 13-17 points, or 0.2 percent, on Tuesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 0.24 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* The UK blue chip index closed down 0.5 percent at 6,986.40 points on Monday, as energy stocks came under pressure following a drop in crude oil prices and gold miners tracked weaker precious metals. WHITBREAD: Britain's Whitbread Plc WTB.L said its first-half profit rose 5.4 percent, helped by growing demand at its Premier Inn hotels and the Costa Coffee chain. 3I INFRASTRUCTURE: Bahrain-based private equity investor Investcorp INVB.BH has agreed to acquire the debt-management business of Britain's 3i III.L for 222 million pounds ($271 million), it said on Tuesday. GLENCORE: Glencore GLEN.L and Japanese power utilities have settled quarterly thermal coal contract prices at $94.75 a tonne, up from around $64 last quarter, sources confirmed on Tuesday, reflecting a surge in spot prices. BHP BILLITON: Samarco Mineração SA, the Brazilian iron ore mining joint venture owned by Vale VALE5.SA and BHP Biliton Ltd BHP.AX that suspended operations in November following a dam disaster, on Monday said it had missed a $20 million interest payment related to a senior unsecured bond due in 2023. UK BANKS: Representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice have signalled recently that penalty imposition on Barclays Plc BARC.L , Credit Suisse Group AG CSGN.S and Deutsche Bank AG DBKGn.DE may not conclude until closer to the arrival of the new U.S. administration in January, Sky News reported. Royal Bank of Scotland RBS.L had hoped to resolve its own settlement with the DoJ this year in an attempt to draw a line under historic misdemeanours. FRENCH CONNECTION: French Connection Group Plc FCCN.L founder Stephen Marks has dismissed a newspaper report of possible bid interest in the fashion retailer, saying there was nothing behind the article which sent its shares up more than 20 percent. 3I INFRASTRUCTURE: 3i Infrastructure 3IN.L said on Monday it had bid for French telecoms masts business FPS Towers, which owner Antin hopes could raise up to 1 billion euros, as it seeks to build its UK-focused Wireless Infrastructure Group into a European platform. UK FINANCE: British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday she was aware of the importance of financial services to the country's economy and was in discussions with the sector about what its priorities were in upcoming Brexit negotiations. UK INFLATION: The British public's expectation for inflation in a year's time recorded its sharpest jump in more than a decade this month, driven by fears of higher import prices, a closely watched survey by polling company YouGov said on Monday. BRITISH STEEL PENSION: The British Steel Pension Scheme's deficit has shrunk to around 50 million pounds ($61 million) from around 700 million pounds earlier this year, it said on Monday, adding it had been well-position to take advantage of currency movements. OIL: Oil prices dipped early on Tuesday over disagreement within producer cartel OPEC on who should cut how much production in a planned coordinated reduction to prop up prices. O/R
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