UK Stocks-Factors to watch on December 23

Dec 23 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Tuesday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.1%.

PETS AT HOME: British pet care provider Pets at Home PETSP.L said it had appointed James Bailey as its chief executive officer, effective March 30, 2026.

OAKLEY CAPITAL: British sailor Ben Ainslie's Athena Racing team has secured a majority ownership investment from British equity firm Oakley Capital OCIO.L.

OIL: Oil prices slipped as traders weighed geopolitical risks against bearish fundamentals, after the U.S. signaled it might sell the Venezuelan crude it has seized while Ukraine's attacks on Russian vessels and piers heightened fears of supply disruption.

METALS: Copper prices ticked up, hovering near record levels hit in the previous session after Chilean miner Antofagasta ANTO.L and a Chinese smelter agreed on a zero processing fee for 2026 copper concentrate, underscoring supply constraints.

GOLD: Gold touched a record high, coming within a whisker of breaching the key $4,500 per ounce level, as investors flocked to the safe-haven metal amid U.S.-Venezuela tensions.

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

TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB