UK Stocks-Factors to watch on January 23

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening flat Friday, with futures FFIc1 largely unchanged.

SHELL: Shell SHEL.L is considering a sale of its assets in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale play and has approached potential buyers in recent weeks to gauge their interest, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

BEN & JERRY’S: Ben & Jerry’s years‑long struggle to defend its progressive mission from parent‑company pressure escalated this week, as The Magnum Ice Cream Company MICCT.AS accused the brand’s former board chair of misconduct.

TECH DEMAND: Global demand for smartphones, personal computers and gaming consoles is expected to shrink this year as companies from Britain's Raspberry Pi RPI.L to HP Inc HPQ.N raise sticker prices to offset surging memory chip costs.

OIL: Oil prices rebounded on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump renewed threats against major Middle Eastern producer Iran, raising concerns of military action that could disrupt supplies.

METALS: Copper prices firmed amid supply concerns after miner Capstone Copper and a local union said a strike forced a production halt at the company's Chilean Mantoverde mine.

GOLD: Gold notched another record high, powered by diminishing confidence in U.S. assets on account of geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.

FTSE: UK shares closed higher on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump softened his stance on Greenland, while optimism surrounding a potential Ukraine peace deal further lifted sentiment.

UK CORPORATE DIARY:

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