June 3 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is

seen opening lower on Wednesday, with futures down 0.3%.

* B&M: B&M warned of upward cost pressures in the

year ahead from the Middle East conflict, as it reported a 26%

drop in annual profit on flat like-for-like UK sales and deep

price cuts.

* DEBENHAMS: Debenhams said its gross merchandise

value returned to growth in the first quarter and reaffirmed

expectations for double-digit percentage growth in annual

adjusted core profit.

* CURRYS ( DSITF ): Currys ( DSITF ) named the boss of its Nordics

business, Fredrik Tønnesen, as its new group chief executive,

succeeding Alex Baldock.

* BP: BP held advanced talks to sell its UK North Sea

assets to Ithaca Energy ( ITHLF ) in a deal worth nearly £2

billion, the Financial Times reported citing people familiar

with the matter.

* CMA: Britain's competition regulator said it has imposed

new conduct requirements on Google's search services.

* OFGEM: Britain's energy regulator said OVO Energy agreed

to pay about £10.4 million in settlements after an investigation

found failures in its processes between 2018 and 2024 could have

put prepayment meter customers at risk.

* OIL: Oil prices rose for a third day and the dollar was on

the brink of breaking the 160 yen barrier as fresh hostilities

flared in the Gulf after U.S.-Iran peace talks stalled.

* METALS: Copper slipped as investors locked in profit after

prices touched a two-week high, while uncertainty around a U.S.

tariff on the metal limited losses.

* GOLD: Gold slipped as renewed hostilities in the Middle

East pushed oil prices higher and stalled U.S.-Iran talks, while

investors awaited upcoming U.S. economic data.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please

click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines

(Compiled by Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)