UK Stocks - Factors to watch on Dec 3

 

Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 9 to 25 points higher on Thursday, following a mixed showing on Wall Street and strength in Asia, with miners looking set to build on good gains in the previous session as gold hit fresh record highs.

According to financial bookmakers, the FTSE is seen gaining as much as 0.5 percent, having closed 15.22 points higher at 5,327.39 on Wednesday.

On the UK economics front, monthly CIPS Services PMI data is scheduled for release at 0928 GMT, with the headline PMI index expected to rise to 57.0 in November, from 56.9 the previous month.

Investors will eye news from the latest European Central Bank Council meeting, due at 12.45 pm, and weekly US jobless claims numbers will be of interest at 1.30 pm, especially ahead of the November U.S. employment report, scheduled for release on Friday.

* GLOBAL MARKETS-Gold at new highs; Asian shares climb

* Nikkei hits 3-week high, Mitsubishi Motors surges

* Nasdaq rises with online retailers; Dow dips on oil

* FOREX-Dollar, yen slide after BofA payback; ECB awaited

* TREASURIES-Edge down in Asia as stocks gain; data awaited

* Oil pares losses; supply, spreads worry

* PRECIOUS-Gold marks record highs, tops $1,220/oz

* Shanghai copper hits 15-mth top, LME near 2009 highs

UK stocks to watch on Thursday:

KINGFISHER

The home improvement retailer issues a third-quarter trading update.

UNILEVER

The consumer goods giant is considering the sale of its Italian frozen food business, Findus Italy, for up to 800 million euros ($1.21 billion), the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

XSTRATA

The miner will spend $542 million to extend the life of its Ernest Henrycopper and gold mine in Australia until at least 2024 by shifting to underground mining, the company said on Thursday.

BANKS

UK banks have a total exposure to crisis-hit Dubai World of roughly three billion pounds, said the Financial Times. The scale has confirmed them as the largest foreign creditor group at the emirate holding company, said the newspaper.

According to bankers and their advisers, Royal Bank of Scotland was the most exposed of the UK lenders, ahead of HSBC, Standard Chartered and Lloyds, said the newspaper.

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND

The bank has warned that the British government's plans to cap bonus payments to their best investment bankers would result in them leaving for other institutions without such restrictions, said the Guardian.

BARCLAYS

Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of the British bank, joined agrowing number of large banks trading liquefied natural gas on Wednesday, launching its Barclays Capital LNG Services division.

BRITISH AIRWAYS

The airline issues traffic figures.

MARSTON'S

The pubs group reports full-year results.

ASHTEAD GROUP

The equipment hire company reports second-quarter results.

HALMA

The safety products group posts first-half results.

FINDEL

The home shopping firm posts first-half results

THE LOCAL SHOPPING REIT

The real estate investment trust reports full-year results.