Dec 14 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open higher on Thursday, with futures up 0.99%.
* SERCO: British outsourcing company Serco Group on Thursday forecast 2024 profit to increase to around 260 million pounds ($328.5 million).
* BUNZL: UK's Bunzl said it now expected full-year adjusted operating profit to be "slightly ahead" of its prior guidance.
* CURRYS: British electricals retailer Currys on Thursday stuck to its annual
guidance
as it reported a first-half loss in line with last year.
* THAMES WATER: Britain's Thames Water named Chris Weston as its new
chief
executive.
* STHREE: UK's SThree posted a
fall
in annual net fees on Thursday.
* HSBC: HSBC Holdings said on Thursday its best lending rate in Hong Kong remains unchanged at 5.875%.
* SHELL: Shell said on Wednesday said it had acquired the remaining 20% working interest in the Kaikias field in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
* BP: BP said on Wednesday its former CEO Bernard Looney will not receive further salary or benefits.
* BP: BP Energy won the auction for oil and gas production rights of the offshore block of Tupinamba in Brazil's Santos Basin.
* HOUSING: Britain's property market saw some recovery in November as a surge in mortgage rates eased, an industry survey showed on Thursday.
* METAL: Prices of most base metals rose on Thursday .
* GOLD: Gold prices extended their climb to a one-week high on Thursday.
* OIL: Oil prices rose in Asian trade on Thursday, extending previous gains.
* FTSE 100: The UK's FTSE 100 closed slightly higher on Wednesday.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
> Other business headlines (Reporting by Hani Kollathodi in Bengaluru)