News: BHP UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Dec 8

(Adds futures, news items)

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 9 points lower on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.2% according to financial bookmakers.

• MAN GROUP: Man Group EMG.L announces that it intends to buy back shares up to a value of $250 million.
• SSP: Upper Crust owner SSP Group SSPG.L reported a bigger annual loss due to pandemic restrictions.
• TAYLOR WIMPEY: Taylor Wimpey TW.L Chief Executive Officer Pete Redfern will step down from his role after spending more than 14 years at the helm, the British homebuilder said.

• CENTAMIN: Miner Centamin CEY.L said a review into the Sukari mine, its single commercially producing gold mine in Egypt, showed its largest reserve growth in a decade.

• STAGECOACH: Stagecoach SGC.L reported a jump in first-half profit, boosted by lifting of curbs and reopening of educational institutes and workplaces, although passenger numbers still trailed 2019 levels.
• BERKELEY: Berkeley Group BKGH.L raised its annual profit outlook after sales recovered to pre-pandemic levels as strong demand in an under-supplied UK housing market helped the British homebuilder post higher interim profit.
• CLINIGEN: Britain's Clinigen Group CLINC.L has agreed to a buyout by UK-based private-equity firm Triton Investment Management in a deal that values the pharmaceutical services firm at about 1.2 billion pounds, the companies said.

• WOODSIDE-BHP MERGER: Woodside Petroleum (WPL) is confident that its shareholders will vote in favour of the planned merger with BHP Group's (BHP) petroleum arm in 2022, its chief executive said.
• EU RULES: Uber UBER.N , Deliveroo ROO.L and other online platform companies may have to reclassify some of their workers as employees under draft European Union rules meant to boost their social rights, according to an EU document seen by Reuters.
• BP: Oil and gas major BP Plc BP.L said it had bought U.S. electric vehicle charging provider AMPLY Power for an undisclosed sum, stepping up efforts to cut emissions and focus on cleaner energy.
• OIL: Oil prices edged lower, reversing gains from earlier the week, as investors tried to assess the full impact of the Omicron coronavirus variant on global fuel demand and the effectiveness of existing vaccines.
• UK's FTSE 100 rose to a three-week highs on Tuesday, boosted by mining stocks and positive earnings outlooks, with global markets taking relief from receding concerns about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
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