UK Stocks-Factors to watch on July 16

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16/07/2026 06:21

    July 16 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.3%.
* BRITISH STEEL: The British government took British Steel into public ownership to protect UK steel production.
* ROTORK: ABB ABBN.S announced its biggest-ever acquisition with a $5.5 billion deal to buy Rotork ROR.L.
* BP: BP BP.L is proposing to close its venturing arm and has reached an agreement to sell minority interests in more than 10 companies in the portfolio to investment firm Verdane.
* DCC: The Takeover Panel extended the deadline for a KKR and Energy Capital Partners consortium to make a firm takeover offer for DCC to July 16.
* BRIDGEPOINT: Bridgepoint BPTB.L has agreed to acquire a majority stake in German lab-testing firm GBA Group from Ardian, valuing the company at over €1 billion.
* FINANCE MINISTER: Andy Burnham is set to name interior minister Shabana Mahmood as his finance minister when he becomes Britain's prime minister next week, the Financial Times reported.
* OIL: Oil prices turned lower as traders took profits and assessed risks from new U.S. strikes on Iranian military installations and potential supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
* GOLD: Gold prices fell on Thursday as the escalating Middle East conflict fuelled concerns that surging oil prices could lead to interest rate hikes.
* METALS: Nickel rose nearly 2% as concerns over disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz raised fears of sulphur supply shortages.
* The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed down 0.1% on Wednesday, as weaker metals and oil prices hit commodity stocks, while Middle East tensions weighed on sentiment.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Frasers 
FRAS.L 
FY results
Ocado Group 
OCDO.L 
HY results
Diploma 
DPLM.L 
Q3 trading statement
Experian 
EXPN.L 
Q1 trading statement
SSE 
SSE.L 
Q1 trading statement
McBride 
MCB.L 
FY trading statement
QinetiQ Group 
QQ.L 
Q1 trading statement
DFS Furniture 
DFSD.L 
FY trading statement
Premier Foods 
PFD.L 
Q1 trading statement
Crest Nicholson Holdings 
CRST.L 
HY results
Trustpilot 
TRST.L 
HY Trading statement
Dunelm 
DNLM.L 
Q4 trading statement
Funding Circle Holdings 
FCH.L
HY trading statement

     
  
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB

 (Compiled by Anushka Chourasia in Bengaluru)
 ((Anushka.Chourasia@thomsonreuters.com))