* TP ICAP: TP ICAP hiked its dividend payout after the world's biggest inter-deal broker reported a nearly five-fold rise in its annual profit, underpinned by volatile trading in stocks and foreign exchange and improved investor confidence.
* CENTRICA: Centrica Plc said it planned to extend the lives of two nuclear power stations, which it expects would add 6 terawatt hours to its electricity generation volumes between 2024 and 2026.
* SAINSBURY'S: British supermarket group Sainsbury's said it had agreed to purchase Supermarket Income REIT's 51% interest in the Highbury and Dragon investment vehicles, which hold the freehold to 26 stores for 430.9 million pounds ($524.2 million).
* JOBS: Britain's unemployment rate held at 3.7% in the three months to January, the Office for National Statistics said.
* NATIONAL EXPRESS: Thousands of British drivers at National Express halted "all out strikes" that were due to start this week to vote on an improved pay offer from the employer, their union said.
* ROYAL MAIL: Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union have agreed to extend talks in order to try and reach an agreement over pay and employment terms, the postal company and the CWU said in a joint statement.
* OIL: Oil prices fall as SVB collapse rocks financial markets.
* GOLD: Gold slips but holds above $1,900 on Fed slowdown hopes.
* METALS: Copper falls on firmer dollar, risk-off sentiment amid U.S.
banking rout.
* 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)
