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Oct 17 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 27 points higher at 7,087 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with FTSE 100 futures .FFIc1 up 0.4 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* ASOS: British online fashion retailer ASOS ASOS.L narrowly beat forecasts with a 28 percent rise in 2017-18 profit, maintained guidance for its new financial year and said its potential was "huge". CREST NICHOLSON: British housebuilder Crest Nicholson 's CRST.L Chief Financial Officer Robert Allen is stepping down, the company said on Wednesday as it forecast a fall in full-year profit, citing challenges in the real estate market. TRISTEL: Tristel TSTL.L said on Wednesday it would stockpile all its component parts and finished products ahead of Britain's forthcoming exit from the European Union. RATHBONE BROTHERS: British wealth and investment manager Rathbone Brothers' RAT.L underlying net operating income rose about 14 percent in the third quarter, as funds under management were boosted by the purchase of its biggest independent rival in Scotland. FLYBE: British regional airline Flybe FLYB.L said annual profit would come in below expectations as demand across its markets weakened in recent weeks and it faces headwinds from a higher fuel price and a fall in the value of the pound. PEARSON: British education publishing company Pearson PSON.L said it was on track to return to profit growth in 2018 and expected a boost to earnings per share from a one-off tax benefit. BHP: The world's biggest miner, BHP BLT.L BHP.AX , said on Wednesday its first-quarter iron ore production rose 8 percent on strong Chinese demand for high-grade ore, but cut its fiscal 2019 guidance for copper production, citing outages at key mines. ANGLO AMERICAN: Anglo American Plc AAL.L should restart operations at its Brazilian Minas Rio iron ore mine in November or December and a planned ramp-up to 26.5 million tonnes per year is likely to be reached in 2021, the miner's Brazil chief said on Tuesday. OIL: Oil prices extended gains into a fourth session on Wednesday, buoyed as industry data showed a surprise decline in U.S. crude inventories and as geopolitical tensions over the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist stoked supply worries. GOLD: Gold prices edged lower early Wednesday as equities gained and the dollar firmed amid waning risk-averse sentiment, with the market awaiting minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting for fresh clues on the pace of interest rate hikes. The UK blue chip FTSE 100 .FTSE index closed up 0.4 percent points at 7,059.40 on Tuesday, lagging European peers and Wall Street as Brexit optimism and data showing fast-rising wages lifted sterling, acting as an accounting drag for multinationals and exporters. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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