UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 16

Reuters · 03/16/2021 07:54
UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 16

Adds futures, news items

- Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 36 points higher at 6,785 on Tuesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures .FFIc1 up 0.59% ahead of the cash market open.


* GREGGS: Greggs GRG.L reported its first annual loss since listing on the stock exchange in 1984 after the COVID-19 pandemic hammered shopper numbers.nL8N2LE1G1

* FERGUSON: Ferguson FERG.L raised its dividend and announced a share buyback after posting a higher half-year profit.nL4N2LE1XJ

* ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca AZN.L has agreed to supply up to half a million additional doses of its experimental antibody-based COVID-19 combination treatment to the United States for $205 million. Separately, the European medicines regulator said it would hold a meeting this week on the information gathered into whether the AstraZeneca AZN.L COVID-19 vaccine contributed to thromboembolic events in those inoculated. nL4N2LE1VJ nL4N2LD447

* VODAFONE: Vodafone Group's VOD.L infrastructure unit Vantage Towers has covered the books on its initial public offering of shares in Frankfurt at a revised price range of 24 to 25 euros per share, a bookrunner on the deal said.nL8N2LE1LZ

* WIZZ AIR: Wizz Air's WIZZ.L largest investor Indigo Partners sold about half its stake in the Hungary-based low cost airline to institutional investors, a statement said.nL8N2LE1HM

* UNITE GROUP: Unite Group UTG.L said it expects strong demand for the upcoming academic year.nL4N2LE1VM

* JUST GROUP: Just Group JUSTJ.L reported an 11% rise in annual earnings.nL4N2LE1W8

* ANTOFAGASTA: Antofagasta ANTO.L said full-year profit rose 12.3% in 2020, allowing it to increase its dividends.nFWN2LD1AC

* JOHN WOOD GROUP: Wood Plc WG.L said it would not pay a 2020 final dividend and posted a 26.3% drop in full-year core earnings.nL4N2LE1YZ

* NATWEST: Britain's financial regulator said it had launched criminal proceedings against a unit of NatWest NWG.L over offences under money laundering laws.nL8N2LE1K2

* TRUSTPILOT: Trustpilot has set a price range for its upcoming initial public offering in London of 250 pence to 365 pence per share.nL8N2LE1HP

* BREXIT: The European Union launched legal action against Britain on Monday for unilaterally changing trading arrangements for Northern Ireland that Brussels says breach the Brexit divorce deal agreed with London last year.nL8N2LD4H4

* GOLD: Gold prices firmed as U.S. Treasury yields eased.nL1N2LE049

* OIL: Oil prices fell as rising stockpiles in the United States added to concerns about risks to demand as countries including Germany and France halt COVID-19 vaccinations.nL1N2LE08Y

* The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.2% lower on Monday as weakness in commodities-linked stocks offset initial gains. nL4N2LD2CS




* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/

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(Reporting by Priyanshi Mandhan in Bengaluru)

((Priyanshi.Mandhan@thomsonreuters.com; +91 9650985606;))