* EMA: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Wednesday recommended authorization of GSK's Arexvy vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults aged 60 and older, putting Europe on track to approve the world's first such vaccine.
* INFLATION: The world's top consumer goods companies, making everything from instant noodles to soap and ice cream, are paying less for their raw materials and energy, but it may take time before shoppers see significantly lower price tags for household goods.
* CMA-MICROSOFT: For all the thunder about Xbox versus PlayStation, it was the nascent cloud market that led to Britain's surprise decision to block Microsoft's record Activision Blizzard takeover.
* GAMBLING RULES: The British government is due to publish its long-awaited proposals to crack down on problem gambling on Thursday.
* GOLD: Gold prices rose on Thursday on a softer dollar, while investors braced for a host of U.S. economic data ahead of a crucial Federal Reserve's policy meeting next week.
* OIL: Oil prices rose slightly on Thursday, finding some
support after heavy losses in the previous two sessions that
were driven by fears of a U.S. recession and an increase in
Russian oil exports which dulled the impact of OPEC production
cuts.
* Britain's FTSE 100 fell on Wednesday, closing at a near
three-week low as the pound weighed on pharmaceutical firms,
though homebuilder Persimmon advanced after reporting robust
quarterly results.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
SAINSBURY PRELIMINARY
RESULTS
INDIVIOR Q1 RESULTS
WPP Trading
Statement
SCHRODERS BUSINESS UPDATE
ASTRAZENECA Q1 RESULTS
CAPRICORN FY RESULTS
ST JAMES Q1 BUSINESS
PLACE UPDATE
BARCLAYS Q1 RESULTS
UNILEVER Q1 TRADING
STATEMENT
LONDON TRADING UPDATE
STOCK
EXCHANGE
TAYLOR TRADING UPDATE
WIMPEY
HOWDEN TRADING UPDATE
JOINERY
INCHCAPE TRADING UPDATE
PETROFAC FY RESULTS
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines (Reporting by Sinchita Mitra in Bengaluru)
