UK Stocks-Factors to watch on January 8 (updated)
08/01/2026 08:00
Adds new items, updates futures Jan 8 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.4%. * SHELL: Shell SHEL.L narrowed its projected range for fourth-quarter liquefied natural gas production, as it as it warned of a loss in its chemicals business. * TESCO: Tesco TSCO.L forecast full-year profit at the upper end of its guidance as it reported a 3.2% rise in underlying UK sales for the key Christmas trading period. * M&S: M&S MKS.L reported a 5.6% rise in like-for-like food sales in the Christmas quarter but clothing, home and beauty sales fell 2.9%. * GREGGS: Greggs GRG.L w arned subdued consumer confidence meant it was guiding to flat profit this year, despite a pick-up in sales in its Christmas quarter. * ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS: ABF ABF.L warned of lower annual profit as Primark struggles in Europe, and hurt by subdued U.S. sales at its food business. Britain's competition is also advancing its probe of ABF's deal to buy bread brand Hovis to an in-depth investigation. * NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY AND EXPERIAN: UK's Nationwide names Experian's Mike Rogers as new chair, who is retiring from the credit data company. * ANGLO AMERICAN: De Beers has attracted interest from several business groups and African governments as parent Anglo American AAL.L looks to offload its stake, the diamond giant's CEO said. * HOUSE PRICES: British house prices unexpectedly fell by 0.6% in December, figures from Halifax showed. * COMMODITIES: Oil prices rose on Thursday, copper prices fell as investors booked profits, and gold fell. * EX-DIVS: Experian, Ashtead AHT.L, and Sage Group SGE.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday. * 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 Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru) ((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))