UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 20

HSBC Holdings

20/05/2026 06:05

May 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.68%.

* HSBC: HSBC HSBA.L Chief Executive Georges Elhedery said AI would destroy and create certain jobs in the financial industry, and the bank was retraining its workforce to meet the challenge.

* FUEL: Britain will allow imports of diesel and jet fuel refined abroad from Russian crude under a sanctions carve-out, easing restrictions as fuel costs surge and add to pressure on airlines and households.

* PRICE GOUGING: Britain will give its competition watchdog stronger powers to crack down on companies that it determines have unfairly raised prices during crises, finance minister Rachel Reeves said.

* SUPERMARKET: Britain's finance ministry is pressuring major supermarket groups to introduce voluntary price caps on key products, such as eggs, bread and milk, in return for easing some regulations, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

* PAY SETTLEMENTS: British employers lowered their pay deals in the three months to April back to levels last seen in mid-2025, according to figures released by Brightmine.

* CLIMATE RISKS: Britain needs to invest 11 billion pounds ($14.75 billion) annually to make its homes and public buildings more resilient to the escalating threats of drought, flooding and extreme heat waves, according to a report published.

* COMMODITIES: Oil prices eased on Wednesday, while gold prices slipped, and copper declined to a more-than-one-week low

* FTSE: UK's blue-chip FTSE 100 ended slightly higher on Tuesday as the global move higher in government bond yields hit sentiment.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Intertek
ITRK.L
AGM
Marks and Spencer
MKS.L
FY results
Severn Trent
SVT.L
FY results
Ithaca Energy
ITH.L
Q1 results
British Land
BLND.L
FY results
Experian
EXPN.L
FY results
Bloomsbury
BLPU.L
FY results
RS Group
RS1R.L
FY results
Keller Group
KLR.L
Trading statement

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/

TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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> Other business headlines PRESS/GB

 (Compiled by Roshni Srivastava in Bengaluru)

 ((roshni.srivastava@thomsonreuters.com))