UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Feb. 22

By Reuters / February 22, 2017 / in.investing.com / Article Link

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 8 points on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.

* The blue-chip FTSE index .FTSE closed down 0.3 percent at 7,274.83 points on Tuesday, dragged down by banking stocks as a week of full-year earnings releases for major listed banks began with a profit slump for HSBC. ANGLO AMERICAN: Anglo American (LON:AAL) AA.L said on Tuesday it will walk away from its El Soldado copper mine in Chile if it cannot agree with local regulators on a permit for a redesign of the operation. LSE: Deutsche Boerse AG DB1Gn.DE and the London Stock Exchange Group Plc LSE.L are planning further concessions to satisfy the European Commission's concerns about their planned merger, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. UK AGRICULTURE: British farmers are holding back on big investments as they brace for the UK's exit from the European Union, their largest market and a vital source of subsidies. OIL: Oil prices held near multi-week highs on Wednesday after OPEC signalled optimism over its deal with other producers to curb output to clear a glut that has weighed on markets since 2014. COPPER: Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 was 0.4 percent lower at $6,038 a tonne by 0410 GMT after dropping 0.2 percent the previous session. GOLD: Gold held firm on Wednesday after falling as much as 1 percent the session before, with investors waiting for minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest meeting for clues on the timing of interest rate hikes. nL4N1G71LG]

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Hays Plc

HAYS.L

Half Year 2017 Earnings Serco Group Plc

SRP.L

Full Year 2016 Earnings Weir Group Plc

WEIR.L

Full Year 2016 Earnings Unite Group Plc

UTG.L

Full Year 2016 Earnings Barratt Developments Plc

BDEV.L