UK Stocks-Factors to watch on February 18

Adds news items, updates futures

Feb 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Tuesday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.07%.

IHG: Holiday Inn owner IHG IHG.L reported a 3% growth in its annual room revenue, above market expectations, boosted by a pick-up in demand in the United States.

ANGLO AMERICAN: Anglo American AAL.L said it will sell its nickel business to a unit of Hong Kong-listed MMG Ltd 1208.HK for up to $500 million, as part of a broader restructuring aimed at refocusing its operations on copper and iron ore mining.

Anglo American's AAL.L South African iron ore business wants private investors to run a rail line that is crucial for shipments of the steelmaking ingredient to export markets, it said on Tuesday.

PLUS500: Online trading platform Plus500 PLUSP.L signalled confidence in its prospects for the upcoming fiscal, after logging strong trading activity due to market volatility, while a growing customer base helped the company report higher 2024 revenue.

ANTOFAGASTA: Chilean miner Antofagasta ANTO.L reported an 11% jump in annual core profit, helped by higher copper prices.

CMA: UK's competition regulator said it has provisionally cleared British food maker Boparan Holdings' proposed deal to buy Dutch agricultural feed company ForFarmers' FFARM.AS Burston and Radstock feed mill sites.

HSBC: HSBC HSBA.L has laid off around 40 investment bankers in Hong Kong, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, as part of a global restructuring exercise at the Asia-focused lender to cut costs.

WAGE GROWTH: British pay growth accelerated in the last three months of 2024, according to official data.

OIL: Oil prices strengthened over an attack on an oil pipeline pumping station in the Caspian Sea.

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TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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