UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 18 (updated)

Foodlink SA

18/05/2023 07:58

(Adds news items)
       May 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100  .FTSE  index is
seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures  FFIc1  up 0.5%.
    
    * BURBERRY: British luxury fashion brand Burberry  BRBY.L 
reported stronger-than-expected fourth quarter sales boosted by
a rebound in its largest market China following three years of
COVID-19 restrictions.
        * ROYAL MAIL: Britain's Royal Mail posted an annual
adjusted operating 
    loss
     of 419 million pounds ($528.82 million), its parent
International Distributions Services  IDSI.L  said.
  
        * EASYJET: British airline easyJet  EZJ.L  said it was
confident ahead of the summer season, when it makes all its
profit, helped by strong booking levels, higher ticket prices
and the growth of its holidays business.
    * PREMIER FOODS: Premier Foods  PFD.L  posted a stronger
annual profit and raised its dividend payout.
        * NATIONAL GRID:  Energy supplier National Grid  NG.L 
posted a 15% 
    jump
     in annual operating profit.
  
        * DE LA RUE: British banknote printer De La Rue Plc
 DLAR.L  said that it appointed 
    Clive Whiley
     as non-executive chairman of the board, effective
immediately.
  
        * INFORMA: British events organiser Informa  INF.L  said
it will 
    acquire
     business-to-business events, data, and media group Winsight
for $380 million.
  
        * BT GROUP: BT Group  BT.L , Britain's biggest broadband
and mobile provider, 
    met market expectations
     with a 5% rise in full-year adjusted core earnings of 7.9
billion pounds.
  
        * BT GROUP: BT Group  BT.L  said it would 
    reduce
     its workforce by up to 55,000 jobs by the end of the
decade.
  
        * ASTON MARTIN: Aston Martin  AML.L  said that Geely
Automobile Holdings Ltd  0715.HK  had committed to 
    invest
     about 234 million pounds in the British luxury carmaker,
making the Chinese automotive group its third-largest
shareholder.
  
       
    * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
click on:  LIVE/     
    TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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 (Reporting by Muhammed Husain in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya
Ann Thoppil)
 ((Muhammed.husain@thomsonreuters.com))