UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Oct 23 (updated)
23/10/2024 07:45
(Adds new items, updates futures)
Oct 23 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is
seen opening lower on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.1%.
* LLOYDS: Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L reported
third-quarter profits that exceeded expectations, and reaffirmed
its performance guidance for 2024, citing increasing financial
confidence among its customers.
* WPP: British ad group WPP WPP.L reported a
better-than-expected 0.5% rise in like-for-like organic revenue
in the third quarter, with growth in North America, western
continental Europe and India partly offset by continued tough
trading in China.
* BARRATT REDROW: British homebuilder Barratt Redrow
BTRW.L said it was beginning to see more stable market
conditions with increased mortgage availability and
affordability, signalling improved sentiment in the UK's housing
sector.
* RECKITT: Reckitt RKT.L beat third-quarter like-for-like
net sales growth estimates, helped by its health business, which
makes Nurofen pain pills and Strepsils lozenges.
* BRITISH LAND: Property firm British Land BLND.N
named insider David Walker as its chief financial officer,
replacing outgoing finance chief Bhavesh Mistry.
* BRITVIC: Britain's Competition and Markets Authority
(CMA) said that it has launched a formal
investigation
into the deal between Carlsberg CARLb.CO and Britvic
BVIC.L , setting a Dec. 18 deadline for its phase-1 decision.
* WATER BILLS: Thames Water and other British water
companies have said they need to raise bills by more than they
had estimated, blaming new regulatory requirements and
investment costs, Ofwat said.
* BP: BP's BP.L head of LNG trading, Jonty Shepard, will
be leaving the company at year-end.
* NHS: Britain's National Health Service will block Eli
Lilly's LLY.N Alzheimer's drug donanemab, deeming it too
expensive for NHS patients, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday.
* OIL: Oil prices dipped on Wednesday.
* GOLD: Gold prices surged to a record high.
* 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 Yamini Kalia and DhanushVignesh Babu in
Bengaluru)
((Yamini.Kalia@thomsonreuters.com;))