UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 8

May 8 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.5%.

HEATHROW: The cause of the fire at an electricity substation that forced Britain's Heathrow Airport to shut down for almost a day remains unknown, the National Energy System Operator said in an interim report.

NEXT: British clothing retailer Next NXT.L edged up its current year profit outlook for the second time in two months after first quarter full-price sales rose by a better-than-expected 11.4%.

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS: Holiday Inn owner InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) IHG.L said it is on track to meet the full-year consensus profit estimate, defying industry peers' forecast warnings over waning economic and consumer sentiment in the U.S.

S4 CAPITAL: Martin Sorrell's ad group S4 Capital SFOR.L reported an 11.4% drop in first-quarter revenue as its clients in the technology sector prioritised spending on artificial intelligence over marketing.

DOWLAIS: British automotive parts supplier Dowlais DWL.L said it expects full-year performance to be towards the lower end of their guidance range due to increased economic uncertainty caused by the U.S. tariffs.

HARBOUR ENERGY: North Sea-focused Harbour Energy HBR.L narrowed its annual production guidance upwards to 455-475 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (kboepd) from the previously projected 450-475 kboepd.

AIRTEL AFRICA: Britain's Airtel Africa AAF.L said it expects to list Airtel Money, its mobile money services unit, in the first half of the calendar year 2026.

HELIOS: British telecoms infrastructure group Helios Towers HTWS.L reported a higher than expected number of tenancies in the first three months of this year.

* EX-DIVS: HSBC Holdings HSBA.L and RELX REL.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out.

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