UK Stocks-Factors to watch on December 3 (updated)
03/12/2025 07:53
Updates futures, adds new items Dec 3 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.1%. *THAMES WATER: Thames Water said that its talks with government and regulators to agree a recapitalisation deal were ongoing after it posted a rise in half-year earnings. * SMITHS GROUP: Smiths Group SMIN.L said it would sell its Smiths Detection business for 2 billion pounds ($2.65 billion), including debt, to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. *SPIRE HEALTHCARE: Spire Healthcare SPI.L said that it expects annual adjusted core profit to be around the bottom end of its guidance range. *MOTOR FINANCE SCANDAL: FCA said it will lift the pause on handling motor finance complaints on May 31, 2026, as it finalises a compensation scheme for those hit by the mis-selling scandal. *HSBC: HSBC Holdings HSBA.L named Brendan Nelson as its new chairman on Wednesday, replacing Mark Tucker, in a return to appointing the head of its board from within its ranks. * SAINSBURY: Qatar's sovereign wealth fund plans to reduce its stake in Britain's second-largest supermarket group Sainsbury's SBRY.L by nearly 4%, a term sheet showed on Tuesday, ending its near-two-decade reign as top shareholder in the chain. * JAGUAR LAND ROVER: British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover's chief creative officer, Gerry McGovern, has left the company, magazine Autocar India reported on Tuesday, citing sources. * UNILEVER: An audit of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation found that it had deficiencies in financial controls and governance, according to Magnum * COMMODITIES: Oil prices slipped for a second consecutive session on Wednesday, gold steadied at close of Asia trade, and copper consolidated after pulling back from a record high. * 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 Ankita Bora and Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru) ((Ankita.Bora@thomsonreuters.com))