(Adds futures, company news items) Feb 23 (Reuters) - Britain's...

(Adds futures, company news items)

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, with futures FFIc1 up 0.08 percent ahead of the cash market open.

• 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.
• BARCLAYS: Barclays BARC.L reported a surprise increase in its core capital ratio on Thursday, as the key measure of financial strength rose to 12.4 percent against analysts' expectations it would only climb to 11.8 percent.
• BARCLAYS AFRICA: Barclays PLC BARC.L has agreed to pay Barclays Africa 12.8 billion rand ($988 million) to fund investments required to separate it from its African unit, Barclays Africa said on Thursday.
• LLOYDS: The British government said on Thursday it has further reduced its stake in Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L , a day after the bank posted its highest profit since before the 2007-2009 global financial crisis.
• GLENCORE: Miner and trader Glencore GLEN.L reported an 18 percent increase in core profits for 2016 on Thursday and said the company had never been so well positioned, although an ill-timed coal hedge had eaten into energy profits.
• BAE: Britain's BAE Systems BAES.L said it expected increased defence budgets to boost its earnings by 5-10 percent this year after it met market expectations with a 7 percent rise in 2016.
• BAT: British American Tobacco BATS.L , the second-largest international tobacco company, reported a slight increase in full-year cigarette and tobacco sales volumes on Thursday.
• RELX: European information and analytics provider Relx REL.L raised its dividend by a more-than-expected 21 percent on Thursday after meeting 2016 results forecasts.
• CENTRICA: Centrica CNA.L , Britain's largest energy supplier, reported a 4 percent rise in annual adjusted profit on Thursday, slightly ahead of analyst estimates, and said debt levels could be low enough this year to allow an increase in its dividend.
• RSA: Insurer RSA RSA.L posted a 25 percent rise in 2016 operating profit to an above-forecast 655 million pounds ($814.49 million) due to strong performance in most of its core businesses, and raised its target for return on equity.
• RATHBONE: British wealth manager Rathbone Brothers RAT.L said funds under management rose 17.1 percent in 2016 to 34.2 billion pounds ($42.55 billion), boosted by gains in the British stock market in the second half of the year.
• HOWDEN JOINERY: Modular kitchen maker Howden Joinery Group Plc HWDN.L reported a slower full-year revenue growth for its UK depots, dragged down by weaker consumer confidence following Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
• PLAYTECH: Gambling technology company Playtech Plc PTEC.L said full-year revenue rose 12.5 percent, aided by strong performance in its gaming division.
• 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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