UK Stocks-Factors to watch on August 20 (updated)

Standard Chartered

20/08/2026 07:39

Adds news items, updates futures
Aug 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.1%.
* JD SPORTS: JD Sports JD.L lowered its profit outlook as it reported a steeper decline in second-quarter underlying sales, highlighting a "promotional market backdrop".
* HAYS: Hays HAYS.L reported annual operating profit above market expectations, as cost cuts and resilient temporary hiring helped offset weak permanent recruitment in an uncertain economy.
* STANDARD CHARTERED: Standard Chartered STAN.L is helping its wealth management clients deploy a portion of their assets to hedge funds to better cushion the impact of heightened market volatility, a top executive said.
* OIL: Oil prices climbed on concerns that the impasse in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran will continue to disrupt supply from the key Middle Eastern producing region and tighten global supplies.
* GOLD: Gold fell as investors booked profits after prices climbed to a more-than-two-month peak following a surprise U.S. Treasury liquidity-support announcement for long-duration bonds that weakened the dollar and pushed Treasury yields lower.
* METALS: Copper edged down but held above the psychological $14,000-a-metric ton level, as higher inventories on the London Metal Exchange (LME) relieved supply concerns and offset support from sharp falls in the dollar.
* EX-DIVS: InterContinental Hotels Group IHG.L, Centrica CNA.L, ConvaTec CTEC.L, Mondi MNDI.L, Entain ENT.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend payout 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))