UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 20
20/03/2026 05:09
March 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Friday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.1%. * UNILEVER: Unilever ULVR.L is in talks to separate its food business and combine it with spice maker McCormick MKC.N in an all-stock deal that could come within weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported. * BP: Workers at BP's BP.L Whiting, Indiana, refinery began picketing after the British oil major barred more than 800 union members from entering the facility, following months of stalled contract negotiations. * Bridgepoint: Bridgepoint is drawing up proposals for an offer worth more than 1 billion pounds ($1.34 billion) for Spire Healthcare SPI.L, Sky News reported. * RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.AX, RIO.L, the world's largest iron ore producer, temporarily shut its Amrun and Andoom bauxite mines in Northern Queensland as tropical cyclone Narelle battered northeast Australia. * COMMODITIES: Oil prices fell, while gold prices rose. Meanwhile, copper is set to post its steepest weekly loss in months. * FTSE: London's main indexes closed at multi-month lows on Thursday after the Bank of England's unanimous decision to leave rates unchanged. * UK CORPORATE DIARY:
| Smiths | SMIN.L | HY resuls |
| JD Wetherspoon | JDW.L | HY results |