UK Stocks-Factors to watch on August 1

Vanquis Banking

01/08/2024 05:50

Aug 1 - Britain's FTSE 100  .FTSE  index is seen opening
higher on Thursday, with futures  FFIc1  up 0.3%.

    * INTEREST RATES: The Bank of England looks in a position to
cut interest rates on Thursday after holding them at a 16-year
high of 5.25% for the past year, though markets and economists
are far from certain the British central bank will take the
plunge.
    * WOOD GROUP: UK's John Wood Group  WG.L  extended the
deadline by which Dubai-based engineering and consulting firm
Sidara would need to make a firm offer for the company to not
later than August 9.
    * OIL: Oil prices rose during Asian trade, extending gains
from the previous session, after the killing of a Hamas leader
in Iran raised the threat of a wider Middle East conflict and
concern over its impact on oil. 
    * METALS: Prices of copper and most other base metals traded
higher, supported by a softer U.S. dollar and expectations of
further stimulus to help revive demand from top consumer China.
    * EX-DIVS: RELX,  REL.L  Lloyds Banking  LLOY.L  and Reckitt
 RKT.L  will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend
pay-outs on Thursday.
    * FTSE: London stocks ended July on a high note, supported
by gains in energy and mining stocks and positive corporate
updates, while investors eagerly await the U.S. Federal
Reserve's interest rate decision.
    
    * UK CORPORATE DIARY:   
     Barclays         BARC.L         HY Results
       LSEG           LSEG.L         HY Results
     Next Plc          NXT.L     Q2 Trading update
      Melrose         MRON.L         HY Results
       Mondi          MNDI.L         HY Results
     Wizz Air         WIZZ.L         HY Results
  Robert Walters       RWA.L         HY Results
   Smith+ Nephew       SN.L          HY Results
       Serco           SRP.L         HY Results
    Rolls Royce        RR.L          HY Results
    BAE Systems       BAES.L         HY Results
  Vanquis Banking     VANQ.L         HY Results
     Schroders         SDR.L         HY Results
      Haleon           HLN.L         HY Results
   Pets At Home       PETSP.L    Q1 Trading update
        
  
    * 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 

 (Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru)
 ((Prerna.Bedi@thomsonreuters.com; +91 98052 24616;))