Jan 17 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open lower on Wednesday, with futures down 1.32%.

* BP: BP named Murray Auchincloss as permanent CEO on Wednesday.

* ANTOFAGASTA: Antofagasta reported a 2% rise in 2023 copper production on Wednesday.

* GSK: GSK has

raised

978 million pounds ($1.24 billion) from a discounted sale of a stake in its spun-off consumer healthcare business Haleon , the British drugmaker said.

* PEARSON: British education company Pearson said it had met its

guidance

for 2023.

* INFLATION: Britain's annual rate of consumer price inflation

rose

for the first time in 10 months in December, official figures unexpectedly showed.

* 888: Bookmaker 888 Holdings said it expects this year's profits to be at the low end of market expectations.

* LIONTRUST: Specialist fund manager Liontrust posted a

rise

in its third-quarter net outflows.

* MITCHELLS & BUTLERS: UK's Mitchells & Butlers said

sales

picked up strongly in the festive season.

* WIZZ AIR: Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air has

met

its commitments to Britain's aviation regulator to improve its customer service, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

* IAG: British Airways owner IAG expects EU antitrust regulators to open a full-scale investigation into its plan to buy Spain's Air Europa, IAG's chief executive said.

* DRAX: British power plant operator Drax said on Tuesday the government had approved its planning application to convert two biomass units.

* METAL: London copper fell on Wednesday.

* GOLD: Gold prices extended losses on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar strengthened.

* OIL: Oil fell on Wednesday as economic growth in China, slightly missed expectations.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines (Reporting by Hani Kollathodi in Bengaluru)