UK Stocks - Factors to watch on Dec 22

Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 15-18 points higher on Tuesday, building on the previous session's gains and mirroring strength overnight on Wall Street and in Asia, as investors await the final reading for UK Q3 GDP.

According to financial bookmakers, the blue chip index is set to rise as much as 0.3 percent, after closing up 97.18 points, or 1.9 percent, at 5,293.99 on Monday, posting its biggest one-day percentage gain since Dec. 1.

The UK blue chip index is up 53 percent from a six-year low hit in March,though it is still 2.3 percent below its level of mid-September 2008 before the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Investors will be eyeing the final reading for UK third-quarter GDP, scheduled for release at 0930 GMT.

It is expected by economists to show a further upward revision, with aquarterly contraction of 0.1 percent rather than the 0.3 percent previously thought.

In the U.S., a final estimate of third-quarter GDP is also expected, as well as existing home sales data for November.

British house prices will rise by 1-2 percent next year, with gains in the first few months of 2010 followed by stagnation and modest falls in the second half of the year, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said on Tuesday.

* Dlr holds firm, Asia stocks track US tech rally

* Wall St climbs on health bill; Nasdaq at 15-month high

* Nikkei hits 8-week high on weaker yen; Isuzu jumps

* FOREX-Dollar pushes to 2-mth high vs yen, yields support

* TREASURIES-Prices fall on stronger growth outlooks

* Oil steady ahead of OPEC, firm dlr offsets US data

* PRECIOUS-Gold rises in bounce from 6-½ week low, ETF up

* METALS-Copper steady, shrugs off dollar weight

UK stocks to watch on Tuesday:

BAE SYSTEMS

The defence contractor on Monday urged the U.S. Army to rethink its strategy to buy medium-sized trucks after government auditors upheld BAE's protest against a multi billion dollar contract award to Oshkosh Corp

BHP BILLITON

The miner has pulled out of a $2 billion nickel project in the southern Philippines after selling its 40 percent stake to a local partner.

Legal experts believe that the $100 million BP was fined for safety breaches at its Texas City refinery will likely be cut on appeal, said the Times.

SINCLAIR PHARMA

The skincare specialist holds its annual general meeting.

STERLING ENERGY

The oil and gas company holds an extraordinary general meeting.