UK Stocks - Factors to watch on March 27

March 27 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.21%.

WELFARE: Welfare cuts announced by Britain will drive 250,000 into relative poverty by the end of the decade, according to the government's estimates.

BONDS: The head of the UK's Debt Management Office said there would be an "important shift" away from long-dated debt in the coming financial year.

AUTOMOBILES: Britain's vehicle output fell in February, industry data showed.

BP: BP BP.L is weighing the sale of minority stakes in two Gulf of Mexico projects, each estimated to be worth billions of dollars, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

VACCINES: Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are probing a claim by GSK GSK.L that Pfizer PFE.N delayed announcing its COVID shot's success in 2020 until after that year's election, the Wall Street Journal reported.

* LLOYDS: John Neal's remuneration shrank by almost 64% in 2024, while other senior market executives saw their total take home overtake the departing Lloyd's LLOY.L CEO last year.

COMMODITIES: Oil, gold and copper nudged higher on tariff concerns.

EX-DIVS: Standard Chartered STAN.L, Smith&Nephew SN.L, SEGRO SGRO.L, Melrose MRON.L, Schroders SDR.L, M&G MNG.L, Taylor Wimpey TW.L, Aberdeen ABDN.L and Crest Nicholson Holdings CRST.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend.

The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 0.3% on Wednesday buoyed by rising energy stocks, after Finance Minister Rachel Reeves pushed back government spending plans in the budget update.

UK CORPORATE DIARY:

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TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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