(Adds company news, futures)
May 10 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 2 points lower on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 0.18 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* ASTRAZENECA: Drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc AZN.L said its asthma drug failed to meet the main goal of significantly reducing the annual asthma exacerbation rate in a late-stage study. COMPASS GROUP: Compass Group Plc CPG.L , the world's biggest catering firm, proposed a 1 billion-pound ($1.3 billion) special dividend, after reporting higher first-half profit on the back of strong trading in North America and improving trends in Europe. TALKTALK: British broadband company TalkTalk's TALK.L cut its dividend on Wednesday as founder Charles Dunstone, who became executive chairman earlier this month, said he would focus on returning the business to customer growth. BAE SYSTEMS: BAE Systems BAES.L , the world's third-largest defence contractor, has started its new financial year well, with trading consistent with expectations, it said on Wednesday. BARRATT: Britain's biggest builder Barratt BDEV.L said on Wednesday it expected 2016/17 pre-tax profit to meet the top end of market expectations despite building barely any more homes than in the last financial year. ITV: Commercial broadcaster ITV ITV.L said its net advertising revenue could fall by as much as 20 percent in June as its outgoing Chief Executive Adam Crozier signed off with a tough trading update. BHP BILLITON: BHP Billiton BHP.AX , BLT.L said it had started a sales process to potentially divest its Cerro Colorado copper mine in Chile. STANDARD LIFE/ABERDEEN: Standard Life SL.L and Aberdeen Asset Management ADN.L expect to cut 800 jobs, nearly 10 percent of the firms' total workforce, within three years of their looming merger, Standard Life said after announcing on Tuesday that the combined group will be named Standard Life Aberdeen. OIL: Oil futures rose in Asian trading on Wednesday after Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia would cut supplies to the region as OPEC battles against rising U.S. production that is threatening to derail its attempts to end a sustained global glut in crude. GOLD: Gold edged up on Wednesday from an eight-week low hit the session before, with the dollar slipping after U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly dismissed FBI Director James Comey. The UK blue chip index closed up 0.6 percent on Tuesday, after British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to cap energy prices if she was re-elected in June. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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