FTSE seen opening lower

The UK blue chip index closed 24.20 points, or 0.4 percent higher on Wednesday at 5,644.63, a 21 month closing peak driven by strength in banks and commodity issues.

However, commodity stocks are expected to retreat on Thursday after the prices of metals and crude eased back overnight.

U.S. stocks gained on Wednesday, pushing the Dow <.DJI> to a 17-month high, after a benign February wholesale inflation reading supported the Federal Reserve's renewed pledge on Tuesday to keep interest rates low.

But in Tokyo, the Nikkei ended 1 percent lower on Thursday, slipping back from a 2 month peak hit in the previous session.

U.S. inflation numbers will be the main focus on Thursday, with headline February CPI seen up 0.1 percent on the month, giving a 2.3 percent annualised increase, down from 2.6 percent in January.

Investors will also have initial weekly jobless claims, February leading indicators, and the March Philly Fed index to digest on Thursday afternoon.

On the domestic data front, February public sector finance numbers will be released at 9:30 a.m., followed by the March CBI industrial trends survey at 11:00 a.m.

(Reporting by Jon Hopkins; Editing by Hans Peters)