(Adds news items)
    Dec 4 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100  .FTSE  index is seen opening higher on
Friday, with futures  FFIc1  up 0.3% ahead of cash market open.
    
    * BERKELEY: Berkeley Group  BKGH.L  posted a 16.6% fall in first-half profit
as home sales were dented by the COVID-19 pandemic and said the coming months
would be crucial to gauge the impact of new lockdowns and Brexit.
    * ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS: Associated British Foods  ABF.L  said the
estimated hit to sales at its Primark fashion chain from COVID-19 related store
closures this autumn is about 430 million pounds ($579 million), up from a
previous forecast of 375 million pounds. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN2IK08D
    * MCBRIDE: Cleaning products maker McBride Plc  MCB.L  raised its full-year
earnings outlook, helped by a surge in demand for hygiene and cleaning products
during the COVID-19 pandemic. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2IK1QX
    * PETS AT HOME: Pets At Home  PETSP.L  became the latest British retailer to
hand back the tax relief it received from the government during the coronavirus
crisis, as the pet supplies company said it would repay the entire 28.9 million
pounds.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2IK1T2
    * GOLD: Gold prices firmed, set for their first weekly gain in four, as
growing optimism over a U.S. fiscal stimulus deal pressured the dollar and
boosted the metal's appeal as an inflation hedge. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2IK0FQ
    * OIL: Oil prices rose heading for a fifth week of gains, after major
producers agreed to continue to restrain production to cope with coronavirus-hit
demand but the compromise fell short of expectations. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2IK0BA
    * The UK blue-chip index  .FTSE  closed 0.4% higher on Thursday as investors
hoped for a trade deal with the European Union before a year-end deadline, while
miners rose as iron ore prices hit a record high. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2IJ20W
    

   
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 (Reporting by Priyanshi  Mandhan)
 ((Priyanshi.Mandhan@thomsonreuters.com;))