UK Stocks-Factors to watch on August 27 (updated)
UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on August 27 Adds news items, updates futures
Aug 27 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.4%.
* ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca AZN.L its asthma drug, Tezspire, developed with Amgen AMGN.O , met its main and secondary goals in a late-stage trial for treating eosinophilic esophagitis, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the esophagus.
* HALFORDS: Halfords HFD.L forecast fiscal 2027 profits ahead of market expectations, betting on strong seasonal demand due to unusually warm summers.
* PRUDENTIAL: Insurer Prudential PRU.L, 2378.HK reported a rise in first-half new business profit, driven by strong growth in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
* JULY AUTO OUTPUT: British vehicle production fell 11.6% year-on-year in July as weaker exports and earlier summer maintenance shutdowns at some plants weighed on output, industry data showed.
* PAYMENTS INNOVATION: The British government plans to give the Bank of England a new "secondary objective" to support innovation in payment systems and digital money such as stablecoins, while maintaining financial stability as the central bank's primary responsibility, the Treasury said.
* SOLAR POWER: British households will be able to buy and use plug-in solar power kits from Thursday, the government said as it seeks to offer households options to curb their energy costs.
* EX-DIVS: Glencore GLEN.L, Games Workshop Group GAW.L, Autotrader Group AUTOA.L and Croda International CRDA.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday.
* OIL: Oil prices fell, extending a streak of losses, on expectations that talks between Iran and Qatar might open the Strait of Hormuz.
* GOLD: Gold prices drifted higher as so-called currency debasement fears lingered, while attention shifted to highly anticipated remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh this week.
* METALS: Zinc prices rose for a seventh consecutive session, boosted by thin availability outside China and exchange positioning.
* 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 Ankita Bora and Megha Kumari in Bengaluru)