Jan 14 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen...

Jan 14 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 21 points higher at 6,767 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.

• Standard Chartered: Standard Chartered Plc's STAN.L investment banking head Simon Cooper has emerged as the internal contender to replace CEO Bill Winters, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
• RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto (RIO) said it had reached an agreement with Meridian Energy (MEL) to allow its aluminium smelter in New Zealand to continue operations until December 2024.
• HOUSE PRICES: A boom in Britain's housing market has started to fade, dampened by new COVID-19 lockdowns and the coming expiry of a temporary tax cut for buyers, a survey showed.
• BANKS: The Bank of England said it would do more to quantify potential losses from its 895 billion-pound bond purchase programme, so the government and public are clear how much money is at stake.
• SUPERMARKETS: Britain will trigger safeguard measures in a divorce deal with the European Union if there are "serious problems" in supplying supermarkets in Northern Ireland, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
• GOLD: Gold prices inched lower as U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar rebounded, while investors awaited details on incoming U.S. President Joe Biden's coronavirus stimulus proposal.
• OIL: Oil prices eased as mounting coronavirus cases globally raised demand concerns.
• The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.1% lower on Wednesday as rising coronavirus cases and fresh lockdowns imposed across Europe raised caution about the near-term effects on the economy.
• UK CORPORATE DIARY: Tesco Plc TSCO.L Q3 trading statement Dunelm Group Plc DNLM.L Q2 trading statement Taylor Wimpey Plc TW.L Trading statement Boohoo Group Plc BOOH.L Trading statement Blue Prism Group Plc PRSMB.L FY results Centrica Plc CNA.L Trading statement Great Portland Estates Plc GPOR.L Trading statement Safestore Holdings Plc SAFE.L FY results Card Factory Plc CARDC.L Trading statement John Wood Group Plc WG.L Trading statement Whitbread Plc WTB.L Trading statement Network International Holdings Plc NETW.L Trading statement Hays Plc HAYS.L Trading statement Associated British Foods Plc ABF.L Trading statement Halfords Group Plc HFD.L Trading statement

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