UK Stocks-Factors to watch on April 20 (updated)
20/04/2026 08:00
Adds news items, updates futures
April 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Monday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.4%.
* M&C SAATCHI: M&C Saatchi SAA.L warned that the Middle East conflict is likely to significantly impact its sport, entertainment and consumer-facing business, while forecasting 2026 operating profit in line with market expectations.
* MULBERRY: Mulberry MUL.L reported a 5.7% jump in annual revenue on a constant-currency basis, supported by robust second-half performances.
* ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca's AZN.L experimental treatment tozorakimab showed a "meaningful reduction" in moderate-to-severe flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a late-stage trial, building on positive data from last month.
* EVOKE: Evoke EVOK.L confirmed that it is in talks with Greek lottery and gaming firm Bally's Intralot BYLOTr.AT regarding a takeover proposal valuing the British betting group at 225.3 million pounds ($303.88 million).
* RENISHAW: Renishaw RSW.L raised its 2026 revenue and profit forecasts, citing strong demand from customers in the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing equipment as well as aerospace & defence sectors.
* PLUS500: Plus500 PLUSP.L posted a surge in customer income in the first quarter as it expanded into U.S. consumer prediction markets and heightened market volatility drove demand across its global trading platforms.
* BARCLAYS: Anthropic's frontier AI model Mythos is a serious threat to the global banking system, and it is likely to be followed by similar, even more powerful cyberthreats, Barclays BARC.L Chief Executive C. S. Venkatakrishnan said on Friday.
* SHIPPING: British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Saturday the Strait of Hormuz had yet to return to normal operations despite a ceasefire in the Iran war, urging Tehran to allow global shipping to fully resume.
* MANUFACTURING: British manufacturers give a patchy picture of their ability to ramp up output should the government need to mobilise key industries, a survey showed on Monday.
* COMMODITIES: Oil prices jumped, while gold prices fell, and copper prices in Shanghai rose.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/
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(Compiled by Roshni Srivastava in Bengaluru)
((roshni.srivastava@thomsonreuters.com))