* LLOYD'S OF LONDON: Lloyd's of London swung to a pre-tax loss in
2022 and took writedowns on its fixed-income investments, it said on Thursday.
* AMIGO: British subprime lender Amigo Holdings plc said it
would wind down after failing to secure adequate investor interest in a vital
capital raise, ending months of efforts to restructure its ailing business.
* CENKOS/ finnCap: London-listed investment banks Cenkos Securities and finnCap Group will merge in an all-stock deal worth 21.1 million
pounds ($26.02 million), the companies said in a combined statement.
* UK'S GAMBLING COMMISSION: UK's Gambling Commission said it imposed a
7.1 million pounds penalty on online operators 32Red Ltd and Platinum Gaming
Ltd, which are part of Kindred Group Plc , for social responsibility
and anti-money laundering failures.
* OIL: Oil prices fell following three sessions of gains, after Federal
Reserve Chair Jerome Powell highlighted banking sector credit risks for the
world's largest economy, while U.S. crude stocks rose more than expected.
* GOLD: Gold prices advanced, as the dollar slipped after the U.S. Federal
Reserve hinted it was nearing a pause in its rate-hike cycle, making the
safe-haven asset a more attractive bet.
* METALS: Prices of copper ticked up, supported by a weaker dollar as
investors bet on a pause in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve, while
the market shifted focus to supply and demand outlooks.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines ($1 = 0.8110 pounds) (Reporting by Prerna Bedi And Anchal Rana in Bengaluru)
