(Adds company news item, futures)
Nov 27 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 5 points lower at 7,404.4 on Monday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 0.20 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* ASTRAZENECA: Drugmaker AstraZeneca AZN.L plans to turbo-charge its already substantial Chinese business through a new drug development joint venture with a state-backed private equity fund. BARCLAYS: Barclays ' BARC.L private bank is looking to get bankers back on the ground in Asia and the Middle East, less than two years after it sold its regional wealth management business, the Financial Times reported citing people with knowledge of the matter. http://on.ft.com/2jpSsXb
* RIO TINTO: Global miner Rio Tinto RIO.AX , RIO.L has abandoned plans to appoint the Mick Davis as its chairman in the after investors revolted, Sky News reported citing city sources. BRITAIN-EU: The European Union handed Prime Minister Theresa May a 10-day "absolute deadline" to improve her Brexit divorce offer or face failure in persuading EU leaders to open trade talks with Britain at a December summit. AIRBUS/ROLLS-ROYCE: Airbus has provisionally tapped the head of Rolls-Royce (LON:RR)'s civil engines unit, Eric Schulz, to head its commercial jetliner sales, resolving months of uncertainty over who would succeed soon-to-retire John Leahy, three people familiar with the matter said. GOLD: Gold prices crept up on Monday as the dollar held close to a two-month low hit in the previous session, with investors noting the U.S. Federal Reserve's cautious view of inflation. OIL: U.S. oil prices remained near two-year highs on Monday on the back of the ongoing closure of the Keystone pipeline connecting Canada and the United States, while expectations of extended OPEC-led supply cuts also supported markets. BRITAIN-EU/INDUSTRY: The British government launched a new strategy for industry on Monday, aiming to intervene in key sectors to tackle weak productivity and bolster businesses to counter any new problems caused by Brexit. The UK blue chip index closed down 0.1 percent at 7,409.64 points on Friday, with Paddy Power leading winners against a strong pound, which was poised to rise for a third consecutive week amid growing hopes that Brexit talks could bear fruits next month. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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