UK Stocks-Factors to watch on October 28 (updated)
UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on October 28 Adds new items, updates futures
Oct 28 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.1%.
* GSK: GSK GSK.L beat third-quarter sales and profit expectations, helped by demand for new and specialty medicines.
* UNILEVER: Unilever's ULVR.L third-quarter sales growth beat expectations as higher prices offset commodity costs.
* STANDARD CHARTERED: Standard Chartered STAN.L on Wednesday hiked its income and profitability targets after third-quarter profit handily beat estimates.
* HUNTING: Hunting HTG.L lowered its annual profit forecast again, pressured by the Middle East conflict and attacks in Saudi Arabia.
* UK BUDGET: British finance minister John Healey is set to announce a cautious budget plan on Wednesday as he tries to avoid piling more bond market pressure on the new government of Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
* INDIVIDUAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT: John Healey is to use his Wednesday budget to scrap plans to slash the annual cash Individual Savings Account allowance from £20,000 to £12,000, FT reported on Tuesday.
* GAS BILLS: British finance minister John Healey plans to cut household gas bills by up to £50 ($66.57) in his first budget to be announced on Wednesday, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday.
* THAMES WATER: Global ratings agency S&P downgraded Thames Water Utilities by a notch to "CCC-" on Tuesday.
* COMMODITIES: Oil prices rose, gold prices ticked lower and aluminium rose on Wednesday.
* OTHER RESULTS & TRADING UPDATES:
Aston Martin | AML.L | Q3 results |
S4 Capital | SFOR.L | Q3 trading update |
* 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 Tuhina & Anushka Chourasia in Bengaluru)