Oct 26 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 16 points at 7,463.5 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* GLAXOSMITHKLINE: The committee responsible for U.S. vaccination schedules has given a preferential recommendation to GlaxoSmithKline's GSK.L newly approved shingles vaccine Shingrix over Merck (NYSE:MRK) & Co's MRK.N established product Zostavax. GSK/RB: Pfizer PFE (NYSE:PFE).N to kick off auction process for its consumer healthcare business in November, paving the way for a potential $15 billion-plus sale of the unit, sources close to the matter told Reuters. Companies, including GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L and Reckitt Benckiser RB.L , have expressed interest in bidding for the unit. BARCLAYS: Uber Technologies Inc UBER.UL and a unit of Barclays plc BARC.L are teaming up to offer a rewards-enriched credit card in the United States through the ride-service company's mobile phone app. BP (LON:BP): BP Midstream Partners' said on Wednesday its initial public offering was priced at $18 per unit, below the expected range of $19 to $21, raising about $765 million.[BP Midstream Partners' said on Wednesday its initial public offering was priced at $18 per unit, below the expected range of $19 to $21, raising about $765 million. ACACIA MINING: Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO said on Wednesday it would work with the government of Tanzania to find a way for a gold export ban to be lifted on its Acacia Mining AAL.L unit and was aiming for a final agreement in the first half of 2018. GOLD: Gold prices inched up on Thursday, after hitting a two-and-a-half-week low in the previous session, as the dollar eased ahead of a key European Central Bank meeting later in the day. OIL: U.S. oil prices extended declines on Thursday after government data showed a surprise climb in U.S. crude inventories. EX-DIVS: Barratt Developments BDEV.L , Ferguson FERG.L and ITV ITV.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 2.42 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations. The UK blue chip FTSE 100 .FTSE index closed at 7,447.21 points, down 1.05 percent, was knocked out to a three-weeks low on Wednesday when better than expected economic growth triggered a surge in the pound and as shares in heavy-weight GlaxoSmithKline suffered their worst fall in nearly a decade. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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