UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 18
18/05/2026 06:04
May 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Monday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.13%. * STANDARD CHARTERED: Standard Chartered STAN.L, 2888.HK appointed Manus Costello as its permanent chief financial officer. * MAGNUM ICE CREAM: Blackstone and CD&R are among private equity firms in the early stages of exploring bids for Magnum Ice Cream Company MICCT.AS, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. * BP: BP BP.L plans to dismantle its pipeline gas trading team, as the oil major focuses on expanding its liquefied natural gas trading, two sources familiar with the matter said. * HOUSING: Asking prices for British homes in May rose by more than usual for the time of year, despite uncertainty about the Iran war, and a key mortgage rate eased back, property website Rightmove said. * JOBS: British employers are prioritising cost management over growth with their confidence close to a record low and their staff are likely to see inflation eat into their pay in the year ahead, according to a survey. * FUEL TAX: British finance minister Rachel Reeves plans to announce this week that she will postpone a planned rise in tax on motor fuel that is due to take place in September, the Sun newspaper reported. * BANKS: Britain's government will set out more detailed proposals this week to relax bank regulations that had been designed to stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis, Sky News reported. * DEFENCE: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to approve an increase of 18 billion pounds in defence spending as he faces a battle for political survival, The Times reported. * COMMODITIES: Oil prices extended gains, copper tumbled to a one-week low, and gold prices steadied. * FTSE: The blue-chip FTSE 100 index on Friday closed 1.7% lower at 10,195.37 points. * UK CORPORATE DIARY:
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