UK Stocks-Factors to watch on April 29 (updated)
29/04/2026 08:02
Adds news items
April 29 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.19%.
* ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca AZN.L beat first-quarter sales and profit expectations and maintained its 2026 outlook.
* ASTON MARTIN: Aston Martin AML.L reported a narrower first-quarter, loss helped by turnaround efforts, and signed a new 50 million-pound ($67.5 million) funding deal with top shareholder and chair Lawrence Stroll's consortium.
* GSK: GSK GSK.L reported first-quarter profit above analysts' expectations, helped by strong sales of its respiratory and other general medicines.
* LLOYDS: Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L reported its first quarter profit rose 33%, beating analysts' forecasts, as increased lending income offset a 151 million pound ($204 million) charge it took.
* HALEON: Haleon HLN.L reported first quarter revenue growth slightly below analyst expectations.
* ST. JAMES'S: St. James's Place SJP.L reported first-quarter net inflows of 1.53 billion pounds ($2.07 billion).
* SANTANDER: Santander UK SANS_pa.L posted a 44% fall in first-quarter profit before tax.
* HEATHROW: Heathrow Airport said its passenger numbers for the rest of year are likely to be impacted by the Iran war.
* JET2: Jet2 JET2.L reported a 7.7% rise in summer bookings from a year earlier, but warned that uncertainty from the Iran war limited its outlook for seat occupancy in the peak summer travel season.
* SHELL: A Monday night fire at Shell's SHEL.L Norco, Louisiana, refining and chemical plant complex broke out on an olefins unit in the chemical plant, people familiar with plant operations said.
* Prudential: Prudential PRU.L reported a nearly 10% rise in first-quarter new business profit.
* HSBC: HSBC HSBA.L named Gautam Anand to head its global India private banking division.
* COMMODITIES: Oil prices eased, while gold was largely steady, and Shanghai nickel extended gains.
* 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))