UK Stocks-Factors to watch on July 31
UK Stocks-Factors to watch on July 31 July 31 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Friday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.5%.
* HSBC: HSBC HSBA.L, 0005.HK is selling its A$36 billion Australian home and personal loan book to global asset manager Blackstone BX.N, in the world's largest-ever home loan portfolio transaction.
* IG GROUP: IG Group IGG.L said it has agreed to acquire U.S. daily fantasy sports and prediction markets operator Underdog for up to $1.3 billion, deepening its push into the fast-growing U.S. retail trading market.
* BUSINESS SENTIMENT: British businesses turned more confident about the economic outlook earlier this month, reflecting a brief fall in energy prices after a ceasefire in the Iran war, a survey by Lloyds showed.
* COMMODITIES: Oil and gold prices fell, while copper prices firmed.
* FTSE: London's FTSE 100 closed slightly lower on Thursday after the Bank of England decided to keep interest rates on hold and mixed earnings reports weighed on the blue-chip index.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
IAG | ICAG.L | Q2 Results |
NatWest | NWG.L | HY Results |
Taylor Wimpey | TW.L | HY Results |
Pearson | PSON.L | HY Results |
ITV | ITV.L | HY Results |
Melrose | MRON.L | HY Results |
Spire Healthcare | SPI.L | HY Results |
Intertek | ITRK.L | HY Results |
Rightmove | RMV.L | HY Results |
IMI | IMI.L | HY Results |
* 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 Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)