UK Stocks-Factors to watch on August 6 (updated)

Reckitt Benckiser

06/08/2026 07:56

Adds news items, updates futures
Aug 6 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.4%.
* WIZZ: Wizz Air WIZZ.L swung to a first-quarter operating loss of €183.3 million as soaring fuel costs and weak fares stemming from the Iran war weighed on earnings.
* WPP: WPP WPP.L reported a 4.7% drop in first-half adjusted revenue as account losses continued to weigh.
* PERSIMMON: PersimmonPSN.L said it expects its annual home deliveries to be at the top of its forecast range but warned that rising costs might not be fully offset in 2027.
* MICHAEL PAGE: Michael Page PAGE.L reported a jump in half-year pre-tax profit. 
* HIKMA: Hikma Pharmaceuticals HIK.L reported a 9% rise in half-year core-operating profit. 
* HARBOUR ENERGY: Harbour Energy HBR.L raised its annual free cash flow and production forecasts for the second time this year.
* OIL: Oil prices trended lower on the progress in Iran-Oman talks, with investors cautiously waiting for signs of a U.S.-Iran peace deal and progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
* GOLD: Gold advanced for a fourth session and touched its highest level in seven weeks, helped by a softer dollar and lower Treasury yields, on growing hopes over the Strait of Hormuz reopening.
* METALS: Copper rose to a fresh 12-week high as tariff uncertainty continued to pull greater quantities of the metal into the United States.
* EX-DIVS: Rolls Royce RR.L, Barclays BARC.L, Lloyds LLOY.L, Standard Chartered STAN.L, Relx REL.L, Reckitt RKT.L, BT Group BT.L, Segro SGRO.L, Informa INF.L, Schroders SDR.L, St Jame's Place SJP.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday.
* 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 and Megha Kumari in Bengaluru)
 ((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))