UK Stocks-Factors to watch on April 16
16/04/2026 06:12
April 16 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.1%. * RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.L, RIO.AX and Hancock Prospecting, owned by Australia's richest person Gina Rinehart, must pay what could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties from iron ore mines to her father's former business partners, a court ruled. * CENTRICA: Spirit Energy, owned by Centrica CNA.L, plans to cut 100 jobs and restructure its UK business into two independent organizations. * AUTOS: The UK's automotive industry group SMMT said carmakers need clarity now on whether Britain will count as 'Made in EU' in the European Commission's Industrial Accelerator Act policy as the ambiguity risks delaying investments. * ENERGY BILLS: Britain will expand by 40% a scheme to cut electricity bills for energy-intensive companies from next year and give firms backdated payments. * BANKS: The incoming head of the Bank of England's prudential arm, Katharine Braddick, said she would not push for further changes to Britain’s bank ring‑fencing rules. * COMMODITIES: Oil prices were little changed, copper prices extended gains, and gold prices rose. ** EX-DIVS: LSEG LSEG.L, Antofagasta ANTO.L, Diageo DGE.L, and Games Workshop GAW.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday. * UK'S FTSE 100: London's FTSE 100 closed lower as healthcare and consumer-facing stocks weighed, while investors cautiously awaited developments in the Middle East. * UK CORPORATE DIARY:
| Tesco | TSCO.L | FY prelim results |
| Schroders | SDR.L | Q1 update |
| Rentokil | RTO.L | Q1 trading update |
| Dunelm | DNLM.L | Q3 trading update |
| Hays | HAYS.L | Q3 Trading update |
| Ashmore | ASHM.L | Q3 AUM statement |
| Beauty Tech | TBTG.L | FY results |
| Ninety One | N91.L | Q4 AUM update |