(Corrects item on Hochschild Mining)
Feb 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE futures FFIc1 were down 0.06 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* METRO BANK: British lender Metro Bank MTRO.L reported its first annual profit on Wednesday, driven by strong growth in residential mortgages and commercial lending. HOCHSCHILD: Hochschild Mining Plc HOCM.L expects production to grow slightly this year as it ramps up output at the Pablo vein at its Pallancata mine in Peru, the precious metals miner said on Wednesday. FIRSTGROUP: British transport company FirstGroup FGP.L downgraded its forecast for annual core earnings after its U.S. coach and bus services were affected by severe snowstorms in January and increased competition. AA: Roadside recovery group and insurer AA AAAA.L said on Wednesday it planned to pay lower dividends as it seeks to get the business on a more profitable footing. GLENCORE: Glencore GLEN.L on Wednesday announced full-year overall adjusted profit of $14.76 billion, in line with expectations, and said its full-year marketing adjusted EBIT was $3 billion, above the range it flagged at the end of last year. FIDESSA/TEMENOS: Swiss banking software company Temenos TEMN.S on Wednesday said it has agreed with the board of Fidessa Group FDSA.L to buy the British financial software company for about 1.4 billion pounds ($1.96 billion). LLOYDS BANKING: Lloyds Banking Group Plc LLOY.L is set to unveil a 1 billion pound ($1.40 billion) share buyback plan and its three-year strategy, Sky News reported. ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND: Britain lawmakers said on Tuesday they have published in full a report by British regulators into how Royal Bank of Scotland RBS.L allegedly mistreated small businesses. BP: The emergence of self-driving electric cars and travel sharing are set to dent oil consumption by 2040, oil and gas giant BP BP.L said, forecasting a peak in demand for the first time. BHP: Global miner BHP BHP.AX , BLT.L , seeking to fend off activist investor Elliott Advisors, handed an extra $800 million to shareholders but its share price slid on Tuesday after costs rose and interim results fell short of forecasts. OIL: Oil prices fell on Wednesday, weighed down by a rebound in the U.S. dollar from three-year lows hit last week and an expected rise in U.S. oil production. GOLD: Gold prices fell further on Wednesday and hit a one-week low as the dollar steadied after a recovery from last week's three-year low, while investors awaited the minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's last policy meeting for clues on the pace of interest rate hikes this year. METALS: London copper futures edged lower on Wednesday as the dollar held near one-week highs versus a basket of currencies, with trading volumes in Asia staying lean as Chinese markets remained shut for the Lunar New Year break. BRITAIN-FARMING: The British government will publish a consultation paper on future agriculture policy "very shortly", Environment Minister Michael Gove said on Tuesday, as farmers demanded more clarity on their prospect after the country quits the European Union. BRITAIN-EU/MARKETS: Britain should not force its regulators into trade-offs between market stability and helping London remain a leading global financial centre after the country leaves the European Union, a top regulator said on Tuesday. The UK blue chip index ended the session flat at 7,246.77 points on Tuesday. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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