UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 12 (updated)

Vodafone

12/05/2026 07:54

Adds new items, updates futures

May 12 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Tuesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.6%.

* INTERTEK: EQT AB EQTAB.ST tabled a sweetened 61.1 pounds per share
proposal
 for Intertek ITRK.L, after three of its earlier bids were turned down.

* PICTON PROPERTY: Picton Property Income PCTN.L said that LondonMetric Property LMPL.L and Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust SREI.L agreed to the terms of a non‑binding, 403 million pounds all‑share
offer
 to buy Picton.

* IMPERIAL BRANDS: Imperial brands IMB.L said that the Iran war could hurt input
costs
 and consumer demand if the conflict drags on.

* VODAFONE: Vodafone VOD.L
said
 it was entering a "new chapter" as a simpler business focused on markets like Germany and Britain and Africa after it reported full-year core earnings and free cash flow at the top end of its guidance.

* GREGGS: Greggs GRG.L
warned
 that the Middle East conflict could drive costs higher into the next year.

* ON THE BEACH: On the Beach OTB.L
reinstated
 its annual adjusted pretax profit forecast, which was below analyst estimates, after a slowdown in bookings due to the Iran war had forced it to suspend the outlook.

* MARSTON’S: Marston’s MARS.L
posted
 a 7.9% rise in half-year underlying pretax profit, driven by cost control and efficiency initiatives.

* SHELL: Shell SHEL.L intends to
sell
 its French petrol stations, Les Echos newspaper reported, citing documents the company shared with employees and suppliers.

* BAT: A U.S. judge dismissed the government's criminal case accusing British American Tobacco BATS.L of conspiring to violate American sanctions by selling cigarettes to North Korea.

* SPENDING: British consumers cut their spending last month for the first time since November 2024 as they focused on essentials rather than leisure, a survey showed.

* COMMODITIES: Oil prices
rose
 nearly 1%, Shanghai copper logged its biggest daily
gain
 in months, and
gold
 prices fell.

* 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 in Bengaluru)

((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))