* KINGFISHER: European home improvement retailer Kingfisher reported a 20% fall in 2022-23 profit after the pandemic drove a record outcome in the previous year and forecast a further fall in its new financial year.
* PEARSON: British education group Pearson said it would sell Pearson Online Learning Services to private equity group Regent for a deferred sum paid over a number of years.
* SCOTTISH MORTGAGE INVESTMENT: Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Plc said Justin Dowley, the company's current senior independent director, will succeed Fiona McBain as
chair with effect from the conclusion of the 2023 annual general body meeting.
* BUDGET: Britain recorded a budget deficit of 16.68 billion pounds in
February,
much more than forecast, the Office for National Statistics said.
* SSE: British power generator SSE will invest 100 million pounds in a
Scottish pumped hydro scheme which could help boost the country's energy storage
capacity, it said.
* HSBC: A Texas official added HSBC Holdings to an energy sanctions
list, widening a crackdown on companies which in the state's view are too
focused on energy transition.
* OIL: Oil prices stabilised after falling early in the previous session on
investor worries that recent banking-sector problems would weigh on the global
economy and limit demand for crude.
* GOLD: Gold prices edged higher with investors looking forward to the
Federal Reserve policy meeting as expectations grew that the U.S. central bank
would slow its monetary policy tightening.
* METALS: Copper prices fell in London as the dollar bounced back slightly
and amid fears of a looming global financial crisis.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times > Other business headlines ($1 = 0.8161 pounds)
(Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru)
