* CAR REGISTRATIONS: British new car registrations rose by a quarter in February and almost half a million plug-in cars are expected to join the road by the end of 2023, according to preliminary industry data.
* ARM LTD: Arm Ltd, the British chip designer owned by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp , is likely to aim to raise at least $8 billion in its U.S. stock market launch this year, people familiar with the matter said.
* STRIKES: Britain's Unite trade union said it had suspended ambulance worker strikes planned for March 6 and 8 in order to enter into pay talks with the government.
* STAFF PAY: Costa Coffee has followed rival Pret A Manger in raising pay for its British store staff for the third time in a year.
* INFLATION: The British public's expectations for inflation over the coming year and five to 10 years ahead rose unexpectedly in February, U.S. bank Citi said after publishing a monthly survey conducted by YouGov.
* OIL: Oil prices opened lower after China set a lower-than-expected target for economic growth this year at around 5%, and as investors cautiously awaited U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony this week.
* GOLD: Gold prices ticked lower as central banks indicated further interest rate hikes to tame stubbornly high inflation.
* METALS: Prices of most base metals fell after China set a lower-than-expected economic growth target.
* FTSE: The UK's FTSE 100 lost its initial momentum on Friday, dragged down by energy majors Shell and BP, while investors also assessed the likelihood for more Bank of England monetary policy tightening.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Clarkson Plc FY Results
Craneware Plc HY Results
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines (Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru)
