UK Stocks-Factors to watch on June 26 (updated)

Hipgnosis Songs Fund

26/06/2024 07:44

(Adds news items, updates futures)
       June 26 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100  .FTSE  index is
seen opening higher on Wednesday, with futures  FFIc1  up 0.37%.
    
    * ASTRAZENECA: China has approved the use of AstraZeneca's
blockbuster cancer drug Tagrisso in combination with
chemotherapy as a first line of treatment for adults with a type
of advanced lung cancer, the company said on Wednesday.
    * AO WORLD: British online consumer electricals retailer AO
World posted annual profit of 34 million pounds, beating its
forecast, and said it expected it to grow again this year by at
least 6%.
        * DRAX GROUP: Drax Group, the UK's largest source of
renewable electricity, said it has agreed to sell up to 90,000
small- and medium-sized (SME) customer meter points from its
supply business Opus Energy to EDF Energy Customers Ltd.
    * LIONTRUST ASSET MANAGEMENT: Liontrust Asset Management
reported a 23% drop in annual profit and net outflows of 6.1
billion pounds as investor sentiment remained challenging.
    * DELIVEROO: U.S. meal delivery group Doordash  DASH.O 
flagged an interest in a takeover of Britain's Deliveroo  ROO.L 
last month, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
    * HIPGNOSIS: Blackstone  BX.N  said its takeover offer for
Hipgnosis Songs Fund  SONG.L  proposed earlier this month would
be its final for the London-listed music rights owner.  
    * ASTON MARTIN: Aston Martin  AML.L  announced the debut of
its new limited edition sportscar Valiant and said deliveries
would start in the fourth quarter, as the British carmaker aims
to revive falling sales and become cash flow positive.
    * OIL: Oil prices inched up despite a surprise jump in U.S.
stockpiles, driven by geopolitical risks from the Middle East
conflict and forecasts of an eventual inventory drawdown during
the third quarter peak demand season.
    * METALS: Copper futures eased as a stronger dollar and weak
demand outlook in top consumer China weighed on the market.
    
        
  
    * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please
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    TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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 (Reporting by Prerna Bedi and Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru)
 ((Prerna.Bedi@thomsonreuters.com; +91 98052 24616;))