UK Stocks-Factors to watch on April 14 (updated)
14/04/2026 08:06
Adds news items April 14 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index opened largely flat on Tuesday. * BP: BP BP.L said it expects its huge oil trading desk to post "exceptional" results for the first quarter, signalling a windfall from the spike in oil prices triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. * PAGEGROUP: PageGroup PAGE.L warned that the conflict in the Middle East was contributing to greater uncertainty for the rest of the year, after it reported a 4.9% drop in first-quarter gross profit. * IMPERIAL BRANDS: Imperial Brands IMB.L said it expects at least high-single-digit annual earnings per share growth, helped by tobacco pricing and smoking alternatives, though Middle East tensions could impact second-half performance. * INTERTEK: Intertek ITRK.L said it was evaluating whether separating its energy and infrastructure, and testing and assurance businesses into standalone firms would maximize returns. * HSBC: HSBC HSBA.L Chair Brendan Nelson said that a Middle East peace deal was essential to ensure a substantial resumption of global energy flows. Separately, sources told Reuters that the company is hiring Mark Augustynak, a metals trader at ICBC Standard Bank, to head its global metals trading business. * ANTOFAGASTA: Rising fuel prices remain Antofagasta's main cost concern, even as the company keeps operations on track and pushes ahead with upgrades at its Centinela and Los Pelambres mines, CEO Ivan Arriagada told Reuters. * VIRGIN ATLANTIC: CEO Corneel Koster has warned that elevated jet fuel prices are "here to stay", and said that a prolonged war in the Middle East could dampen global travel demand, the Financial Times reported. * ENERGY: Britain will have enough gas and electricity supply this summer, the country's network operators said. * CONSUMERS: Surging fuel prices caused by the conflict in Iran weighed on British consumers last month. * COMMODITIES: Oil prices fell on Tuesday in Asian trade, while gold rebounded, and copper prices climbed. * 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 Roshni Srivastava in Bengaluru) ((roshni.srivastava@thomsonreuters.com))