UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 21 (updated)
21/05/2025 07:51
Adds new items, updates futures May 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.32%. * MARKS & SPENCER'S: British retailer Marks & Spencer's MKS.L said a "highly sophisticated cyber" attack would cost it about 300 million pounds in operating profit. * JD SPORTS: British sportswear retailer JD Sports JD.L posted a 2% fall in first-quarter underlying sales and warned that higher prices in its key U.S. market from President Donald Trump's tariffs could hit customer demand. * CURRYS: British electricals retailer Currys CURY.L raised its annual profit forecast for the third time this year. * STANC: Standard Chartered STAN.L is expanding its private banking team in the United Arab Emirates, it said, joining other financial institutions looking to tap into the growing market. * SSE: British utility SSE SSE.L cut its five-year investment expectations by 3 billion pounds to around 17.5 billion pounds. * SEVERN TRENT: British water utility Severn Trent SVT.L projected a doubling of adjusted earnings per share between 2025 to 2028. * REVOLUTION BEAUTY: British makeup and skin care retailer Revolution Beauty REVB.L said it was exploring a sale after it received a preliminary takeover approach. * CLOSE BROTHERS: British lender Close Brothers CBRO.L said it expects common equity tier (CET1) capital ratio to be above its medium-term target range by the end of the financial year. * ITHACA: North Sea oil and gas company Ithaca Energy ITH.L raised its full-year production forecast. * COMMODITIES: Oil prices jumped more than 1% after reports Israel is preparing a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Gold prices rose to their highest in more than a week. Copper prices in London rose. * 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 (Reporting by Yamini Kalia and DhanushVignesh Babu in Bengaluru) ((Yamini.Kalia@thomsonreuters.com;))