UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 7
March 7 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 is seen opening 34 points lower at 7,162 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers. * IAG: British Airways owner IAG is unlikely to renew its interest in Norwegian Air after ruling out a new bid for the Scandinavian carrier earlier in the year, but "never say never", IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh said on Wednesday. * GOLD: Gold prices steadied on Thursday as lacklustre appetite for riskier assets offered some support to the safe-haven metal, while firm dollar limited gains ahead of European Central Bank's (ECB) policy meeting due later in the day. * OIL: Oil edged up on Thursday amid ongoing OPEC-led supply cuts and U.S. sanctions against exporters Venezuela and Iran, although prices were prevented from rising further by record U.S. crude output and rising commercial fuel inventories. * EX-DIVS: BHP Group,Evraz Group,Persimmon,Rio Tinto,RSA Insurance Group and Standard Chartered will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 21.7 points off the FTSE 100, according to Reuters calculations * The UK blue chip index closed 0.17 percent up at 7196.00 on Wednesday as tobacco stocks gained on U.S. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb's departure and DS Smith rose after selling its plastics division, while Legal & General slipped after results. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: * UK CORPORATE DIARY: Funding Circle Full year result DS Smith Full year result Spirax Sarco Full year result Melrose Full year result Informa Full year result Countrywide Full year result Schroders Plc Full year result Cobham Plc Full year result Greggs Plc Q4 results Inmarsat Plc Full year result Admiral Group Plc Full year result CLS Holdings Plc Full year result Aviva Plc Full year result Spirent Communications Full year result Premier Oil Plc Full year result Share Plc Full year result TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * For Top News : http://topnews.reuters.com (Reporting by Adil Bhat in Bengaluru)
