UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Sept 4 (updated)

Tritax EuroBox

04/09/2024 07:51

(Updates futures, adds news items in bullet 1- 4)
       Sept 4 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100  .FTSE  index is
seen opening lower on Wednesday, with futures  FFIc1  down
0.85%.

    * BARRAT: British housebuilder Barratt  BDEV.L  posted a
better-than-expected annual profit on Wednesday, and said
housing demand continues to be sensitive to mortgage
affordability.
    * DIRECT LINE: Direct Line Insurance Group  DLGD.L  missed
expectations for its half-year operating profit as the British
insurer struggles to reinvigorate its business, particularly its
motor insurance arm.
    * M&G: British insurer and asset manager M&G  MNG.L 
reported a 4% fall in first-half operating profit, hit by weaker
performance in its life and wealth business.
        * SEGRO: British warehouse owner 
    Segro Plc  SGRO.L  agreed to buy its smaller peer Tritax
EuroBox  EBOX.L  in an all-share deal with an enterprise value
of about 1.10 billion pounds  ($1.44 billion).
    * PAYMENTS: UK regulators plan to curtail a new rule that
would have forced banks and payment companies to reimburse fraud
victims up to 415,000 pounds, after facing pressure from
ministers and fintech firms, the Financial Times reported on
Tuesday.  
    * OIL: Oil prices fell on Wednesday, extending a plunge of
more than 4% the previous day, on expectations that a political
dispute halting Libyan exports could be resolved and concerns
over lower global demand growth.
    * GOLD: Gold prices held steady on Wednesday as investors
braced for a monthly U.S. payrolls report that could influence
how swiftly and deeply the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates
this year.
    * METALS: London copper prices inched higher on Wednesday,
supported by dip-buying after the market sank to a two-week low
in the previous session and signs of a demand pickup in China.  
 
        
  
    * 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 = 0.7627 pounds)

 (Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru)
 ((Radhika.Anilkumar@thomsonreuters.com;))