News: RIO UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Feb. 23

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 4 points higher, or up 0.05 percent on Thursday, according to Financial spreadbetters.

• The blue-chip FTSE 100 index .FTSE ended up 0.4 percent at 7302.25 points, as Lloyds LLOY.L reported its highest annual profit in a decade and Unilever ULVR.L promised a far-reaching review.
• BANK OF ENGLAND: Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe warned on Wednesday that requiring financial instruments to be cleared in a country that uses the currency in which they are denominated would bump up costs and splinter markets.
• BANK OF ENGLAND/INSURERS: EU capital rules for insurers need some tweaks but are not a deterrent to investment in infrastructure as some insurers' claim, the Bank of England said on Wednesday.
• PURPLEBRICKS: British online real estate agent Purplebricks Group Plc PURP.L said it intended to raise funds through a share issue to expand into the United States.
• AO WORLD: AO World AO.L , the British online electricals retailer, said on Wednesday its founder John Roberts had stepped down as chief executive but would remain on the board in a new executive role.
• OIL: U.S. oil futures rose nearly 1 percent on Thursday after data released by an industry group showed a surprise decline in U.S. crude stocks as imports fell, lending support to the view that a global glut is ending.
• BHP: The first attempt at an acquisition by Australia's South32 S32.AX following its spinoff from BHP Billiton (BHP) , BLT.L has raised competition concerns over control of the local coking coal market.
• EX-DIVS: Carnival CCL.L , Diageo DGE.L , Easyjet EZJ.J GlaxoSmithKline GSK , Rio Tinto RIO.L and Lancashire LRE.L to go ex-dividend. According to Reuters calculations at current market prices, the effect of the resulting adjustment to prices by market-makers would take 12.3 points off the index.
• For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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