UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 28 (updated)

Arix Bioscience

28/03/2019 07:49

(Adds company news items and futures)
    March 28 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100  .FTSE  is seen
opening 12 points higher at 7,206 on Thursday, according to
financial bookmakers, while FTSE 100 futures  .FFIc1  were up
0.35 percent ahead of the cash market open.
   * Arbuthnot: Arbuthnot Banking Group  ARBB.L  said on
Thursday it has drawn up plans to ensure uninterrupted payments
for its customers in the European Union through the pan-European
payments system SEPA, when Britain leaves the 28-member
bloc. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N21E3YI
   * MITIE: British outsourcer Mitie Group Plc  MTO.L  said on
Thursday it expected higher annual operating profit before other
items and revenue, with its turnaround program on track to
deliver benefits. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N21F1RG
   * DEBENHAMS: Debenhams  DEB.L , the ailing British department
store group, said on Thursday bondholders had agreed to change
the terms of some of their bonds so that the firm can secure new
loans of up to 200 million pounds ($264 million) from existing
lenders. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N21F1E4 
   * UNILEVER: Unilever  ULVR.L , one of the world's biggest
advertisers, will pick a network of "trusted publishers" with
which to spend most of its marketing budget, in its latest
attempt to improve the effectiveness of its digital
advertising. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N21E08Y
    * BARCLAYS: Barclays  BARC.L  Chief Executive Officer Jes
Staley took direct control of its under-pressure investment bank
on Wednesday, ousting the head of the business Tim Throsby in a
surprise shake-up as he battles an activist
investor. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N21E3G7
    * GOLD: Palladium fell further on Thursday, a day after the
metal posted its biggest drop in more than two years on
technical selling and profit-booking. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N21F0JO 
    * OIL: Oil prices fell on Thursday, extending losses into a
second straight session, after widely watched data showed a
surprising increase in U.S. stocks. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N21F08E
    * EX-DIVS: BR LAND CO  BLND.L ,INTERCONT HOTEL
 IHG.L ,PRUDENTIAL  PRU.L ,SCHRODERS  SDR.L  will trade without
entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday,
trimming 4.5 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters
calculations  ID:nL8N21C2AK 
    * The UK blue-chip index closed 0.03 percent lower at
7194.19 on Wednesday ahead of indicative votes on a series of
alternate Brexit options in parliament and a sharp drop in oil
majors offset a rally in financial stocks. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N21E1WT
    * 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 Adil  Bhat in Bengaluru)
 ((AdilSubzar.Bhat@thomsonreuters.com; within U.K. +44 020 7542
1810, outside U.K. +91 80 6749 1719; Reuters Messaging:
adilsubzar.bhat.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))