UK Stocks-Factors to watch on November 4 (updated)
UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on November 4 Adds news, updates futures
Nov 4 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.5%.
* SMITH+NEPHEW: Smith+Nephew SN.L confirmed on Wednesday that it approached Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N earlier this year about a potential merger with the US giant's orthopaedics arm, but those conversations have now ended.
* BP: BP BP.L appointed Emma Lewis to lead its downstream business, hiring the senior chemicals executive from rival Shell SHEL.L as CEO Meg O'Neill seeks to strengthen the oil major's refining and fuels business.
* BARRATT REDROW: British homebuilder Barratt Redrow BTRW.L posted a 12% fall in home completions and pointed to slower bookings by individual buyers in the 17 weeks to October 25, as elevated mortgage and interest rates weighed on demand.
* MARKS & SPENCER: British retailer Marks & Spencer MKS.L said its first-half profit rebounded from last year's cyberattack-hit level, but was down on a two-year basis as strong trading in food failed to fully offset weakness in clothing.
* COCA-COLA HBC: Bottler Coca-Cola HBC CCH.BN, CCH.L raised its annual organic revenue growth forecast, propelled by pricing actions and robust demand for sparkling drinks and sugar-free beverages across its key markets.
* UNILEVER: Unilever ULVR.L will overhaul its operating model and cut €1 billion ($1.12 billion) in costs by the end of 2029, it said on Tuesday.
* OIL: Oil prices rose on Wednesday in a volatile session as investors awaited Washington's next move in the US-Israeli war on Iran, after Democrats captured control of Congress from President Donald Trump's Republicans in the midterm elections.
* GOLD: Gold prices rose on Wednesday, supported by a softer US dollar after Democrats scored early wins in the US midterm elections, while investors awaited the non-farm payrolls data later this week for clues on the Federal Reserve's policy path.
* METALS: Copper ticked down on Wednesday as the previous day's broad risk-off mood continued and US midterm election results kept coming in.
* 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 Krisha Bhatt in Bengaluru)