UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 28 (updated)
UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 28 Adds news items, updates futures
May 28 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.67%.
* JOHNSON MATTHEY: Johnson Matthey JMAT.L said it would buy Cormetech for $360 million, betting on growth in the U.S. power generation market on strong demand for emission control for data centres.
* IQE: Britain's IQE IQE.L forecast high-single digit to low double-digit 2026 adjusted core profit, buoyed by resilient semiconductor demand and strong aerospace and defence markets.
* BT: The British government will oppose any attempt from Indian billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal to increase his stake in BT BT.L, citing the need to maintain sovereign control over "critical national infrastructure", as per the Financial Times.
* PPHE HOTEL: PPHE Hotel Group PPH.L said it has received a £920.9 million takeover proposal from Israel's Fattal Hotel Group.
* AUTO: UK auto production fell 1.2% year-on-year in April as a drop in commercial vehicle output and weak exports to China weighed on the industry, data published by SMMT showed.
* SERVICES: Sentiment among Britain's consumer-facing services businesses fell to its lowest since February 2025 this month and a recent rebound in business services morale reversed course, survey from the Confederation of British Industry showed.
* FOOD: Business confidence in Britain's food manufacturing sector has fallen to its lowest since the 2022 energy crisis, the industry's main lobby group said highlighting the growing impact of the Iran war.
* COMMODITIES: Oil prices jumped more than 3%, while gold prices fell to a two-month low, and copper prices steadied at a one-week low.
* EX-DIVS: National Grid NG.L, ABF ABF.L, Informa INF.L, Severn Trent SVT.L, Diploma DPLM.L, Intertek ITRK.L, DCC DCC.L, Kingfisher KGF.L, and Alliance Witan ALWA.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, Roshni Srivastava in Bengaluru)