UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Friday, June 8 - Reuters UK UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Friday, June 8 - Reuters UK

Friday, June 8, 2012

UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Friday, June 8 - Reuters UK

UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Friday, June 8 - Reuters UK

Fri Jun 8, 2012 7:00am BST

* Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening down as much as 33 points, or 0.6 percent lower on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, echoing a weaker performance overnight in the United States and Asia. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on

* The UK blue chip index closed up 63.68 points, or 1.2 percent higher on Thursday at 5,447.79, as Britain's top shares hit a three-week high after China's surprise move to cut interest rates and firm UK services sector data boosted investors' appetite for risk.

* The S&P 500 ended barely changed on Thursday as optimism about China's interest rate cut was offset by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments that dimmed hopes for more U.S. stimulus.

* Commodities fell on Friday, disappointed by the U.S. Federal Reserve's reticence to jump in and stimulate the world's largest economy amid worries that a surprise Chinese rate cut suggested its economy was performing even worse than expected.

* Investors will watch for May UK PPI data due out at 0830 GMT, with input prices forecast to fall 1.3 percent month-on-month (MOM) and output prices forecast to rise 0.1 percent MOM, after British factory gate inflation eased less than expected on the year in April, and companies' input costs rose at the slowest pace since October 2009.

ENRC : A long-awaited internal inquiry at the FTSE 100 mining group has been given added significance days before its scheduled completion by the group's chairman refusing to endorse its controversial business partner in Africa, wrote the Guardian.

WPP : WPP has hit back at the U.S. shareholder group that criticised the 6.8 million pounds ($10.59 million) pay package handed to its chief executive, Martin Sorrell, slamming its stance as "inconsistent" and "parochial", reported the Telegraph.

Barclays : Th UK lender's ambitious asset disposal programme launched early last year to boost profitability has been hampered by the eurozone crisis and uncertainty over financial regulation in the UK, according to the Financial Times.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

AUGEAN PLC holds its AGM.

BELLWAY has a trading update.

HORNBY posts full-year results.

OXFORD CATALYSTS GROUP hold its AGM.

STHREE releases a trading update.

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News visit topnews.reuters.com (Written by David Brett; Editing by Andrew Heavens)



Swiss stocks - Factors to watch on June 8 - Reuters

ZURICH, June 8 | Fri Jun 8, 2012 2:16am EDT

ZURICH, June 8 (Reuters) - Swiss stocks were poised to open lower on Friday, as investors eyed lower Asian stocks as a cue to take profits after comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke dented hopes for fresh near term U.S. stimulus measures.

Futures for the blue-chip SMI index fell 32 points to 5840 points by 0809 GMT.

The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks on Friday:

NOVARTIS

Novartis AG's unit Sandoz is voluntarily recalling ten lots of its generic Introvale birth control pills after a consumer recently reported a packaging flaw.

For related news, click on

LOGITECH

Logitech International, the world's largest computer mouse maker, said it will cut about 450 jobs, or 13 percent of its worldwide non-direct labor workforce, as part of a previously announced restructuring.

For more, click on

COMPANY STATEMENTS

* Zehnder Group plans to expand its Group Executive Committee with Dominik Berchtold as Deputy Chairman of the Group Executive Committee from January 1 as part of succession planning. Berchtold will replace Hans-Peter Zehnder as Chairman of the body in the second half of 2014.

* The World Council of Churches signed a contract with Implenia for the development of its plot in Grand-Saconnex, Geneva, including a new Ecumenical Centre. The development of the 34,000 square metre site will take place in several phases over the next five to ten years.

* Kudelski said SmarDTV has combined CI Plus and HbbTV to enable video-on-demand for cable networks. SmarDTV intends to launch the first CI Plus SmarCAM with Cable voice on demand this year.

ECONOMY



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