UPDATE 1 — UK Stocks — Factors to watch on September 18
(Adds new items, updates futures) Sept 18 (Reuters) — Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening lower on Friday, with futures down 0.2%. RETAIL SALES: British retail sales showed a surprise increase of 0.5% in August despite the latest jump in fuel prices caused by the resumption of the Iran war, official figures showed. DEBENHAMS: British fashion retailer Debenhams said Iain McDonald has returned to its board as chair, replacing Tim Morris. HARWORTH GROUP: Harworth Group rejected a sweetened £599.77 million ($801.5 million) takeover offer from its largest shareholder, Peel Holdings. SHELL: Partners in the Shell-led LNG Canada export project could reach a final investment decision on its Phase 2 expansion as early as next month, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. BP: BP said representatives from its 440,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana, and United Steelworkers union Local 7-1 will meet again next Tuesday. SOFTCAT: Softcat said it had agreed to buy U.S.-based GDT at an enterprise value of $1.05 billion. AIRTEL AFRICA: Airtel Africa's Airtel Money is considering downsizing its London IPO, which could launch as soon as next week, Bloomberg News repor
2%. 5% in August despite the latest jump in fuel prices caused by the resumption of the Iran war, official figures showed. DEBENHAMS: British fashion retailer Debenhams said Iain McDonald has returned to its board as chair, replacing Tim Morris. 5 million) takeover offer from its largest shareholder, Peel Holdings.
SHELL: Partners in the Shell-led LNG Canada export project could reach a final investment decision on its Phase 2 expansion as early as next month, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. BP: BP said representatives from its 440,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana, and United Steelworkers union Local 7-1 will meet again next Tuesday. 05 billion. AIRTEL AFRICA: Airtel Africa's Airtel Money is considering downsizing its London IPO, which could launch as soon as next week, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
THAMES WATER: The British government should reject a creditor bid for Thames Water and put the embattled utility into temporary public ownership, a committee of lawmakers said. INDUSTRY: British finance minister John Healey will urge European Union counterparts to ensure Britain is not excluded from the bloc's planned "Made in Europe" industrial policy, the Financial Times reported. COMMODITIES: Oil prices fell for a third day, copper was set to end the week higher, and gold inched higher. com)