UK Stocks-Factors to watch on April 7

April 7 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Monday, with futures FFIc1 down 2.50%.

Electric vehicles: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday eased targets forcing automakers in the country to produce more electric vehicles, in an effort to ease pressure on UK businesses from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs.

SANTANDER: The UK arm of Spain's Banco Santander SANS_pa.L, SAN.MC is lining up Tom Scholar, the former permanent secretary to the Treasury, as the company's next chairman, Sky News reported on Saturday citing insiders.

OIL: Oil slid around 3% on Monday to its weakest since 2021 as an intensifying trade war between the United States and China triggered worries over demand for raw materials.

GOLD: Gold prices fell to a more-than-three-week low on Monday amid a wider market sell-off, as investors dumped bullion to cover their losses in other trades on fears of a global recession.

METALS: Base metal prices in China fell sharply on Monday as the escalating global trade war fueled fears of a recession, with copper prices sliding to a more than three-month low.

The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed down nearly 5% on Friday, a more than three-month low, its largest daily drop since March 2020, as investors avoided risky assets after China's retaliatory tariffs against the United States.

UK CORPORATE DIARY:

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