UK Stocks-Factors to watch on December 16

SThree

16/12/2025 05:07

Dec 16 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Tuesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.4%.

* BEN & JERRY'S: Ben & Jerry's ousted the chair of its independent board as part of new governance practices introduced on Monday. The ice cream brand is now owned by The Magnum Ice Cream Company MICC.AS after a spinoff from Unilever ULVR.L last week.

* ASTRAZENECA: The U.S. FDA approved AstraZeneca  and partner Daiichi Sankyo's <4568.T> Enhertu in combination with Roche's ROG.S drug, Perjeta.

* GSK: UK's health regulator on Monday approved GSK's  twice-yearly drug for use as an add-on treatment for asthma in patients aged 12 and older.

* PEARSON: Ofqual fined exam board Pearson PSON.L over 2 million pounds ($2.7 million) on Monday, citing serious standards breaches.

* CAPITAL RULES: Britain's financial regulator is considering a sweeping revamp of capital requirements for specialist trading firms like Citadel Securities, Jane Street and XTX.

* CRYPTO: The Financial Conduct Authority launched a wide-ranging consultation on a range of proposed rules for the crypto industry on Tuesday.

* OIL: Oil prices fell in early trading, as prospects for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal appeared to strengthen, raising expectations of a potential easing of sanctions.

* METALS: Copper retreated as weak economic data from top consumer China and renewed concerns about an artificial intelligence bubble pressured prices.

* GOLD: Gold prices edged higher supported by a softer dollar, as investors awaited the release of key U.S. jobs data.

* FTSE: UK stocks closed higher on Monday, starting the week on a positive note ahead of a widely expected interest rate cut by the Bank of England later this week.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

SThree
STEMS.L
FY Trading update

* 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

($1 = 0.7482 pounds)

 (Compiled by Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)

 ((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))