UK Stocks-Factors to watch on June 18 (updated)

Whitbread

Today 07:38

Adds news items, updates futures

    June 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.5%.


    * TESCO: Tesco TSCO.L said underlying UK sales growth 
    slowed
     in its first quarter but it continued to gain market share and left its profit guidance for the full-year unchanged.
  

    * INFORMA: Informa INF.L signalled stronger growth in 2027 and posted revenue 
    growth
     of 6.4% in the first five months of 2026, as its live events business recovers from disruptions caused by the Iran war.
  

    * DRAX: Drax DRX.L said Britain's financial watchdog has 
    closed
     its investigation into certain historical statements regarding the company's biomass sourcing, removing a regulatory cloud that had hung over the company for nearly 10 months.
  

    * WHITBREAD: Whitbread WTB.L said its forward bookings in Britain remained 
    ahead
     of last year, supported by strong leisure demand, as the hotel operator reported a rise in first-quarter like-for-like sales.
  

    * WAGE GROWTH: British annual 
    wage growth
    , excluding bonuses was 3.4% in the three months to April while the unemployment rate was 4.9%, official figures showed.
  
* SUNDERLAND PLANT: The British government is in advanced talks with Nissan 7201.T about providing it financial support in return for a long-term commitment and investment in its Sunderland plant, five sources with knowledge of the discussions said.
* HSBC: HSBC's HSBA.L Australia unit has admitted to serious failures in protecting customers from scams and could face an A$35 million penalty pending court approval, Australia's corporate regulator said.
* DIAGEO: Diageo's DGE.L new boss, Dave Lewis, has asked executives to cut headcount and other costs as he begins restructuring the group, the Financial Times reported. 
* OIL: Oil prices fell over $1 per barrel after the U.S. and Iran signed an interim agreement. 
* METALS: Copper declined as hawkish Federal Reserve projections outweighed the U.S.-Iran peace deal.
* GOLD: Gold climbed 1% on Federal Reserve's hawkish signals. 
* EX-DIVS: Compass Group CPG.L, 3i Group III.L, Airtel Africa AAF.L, Land Securities LAND.L, British Land BLND.L, and Persimmon PSN.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 in Bengaluru)
 ((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))