UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Aug. 9
Aug 9 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening higher on Wednesday, with futures up 0.47%. * WATER COMPANIES: Six British water companies are facing lawsuits valued at over 800 million pounds ($1.02 billion)brought on behalf of millions of customers for allegedly overcharging customers by under-reporting sewage discharges, a law firm said. * INFLATION: The Bank of England will not succeed in returning inflation to its 2% target before 2028 at the earliest, according to forecasts from a leading academic think-tank. * TRAVEL: The post-pandemic travel boom and the high ticket prices that come with it show no signs of slowing well into next year, despite economic uncertainty and dwindling household savings. * OIL: Oil prices eased in Asian morning trade on Wednesday as concerns over slow demand from top crude importer China grew after bearish trade and inflation data, outweighing fears over tighter supply arising from output cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia. * GOLD: Gold prices bounced back on Wednesday from one-month lows hit in the previous session, as the dollar and bond yields weakened a day ahead of the release of U.S. consumer price data that could build the case for or against further interest rates hikes. *Britain's FTSE 100 closed lower on Tuesday, weighed down by declines in the mining sector after Glencore's earnings plunged and China reported bleak trade data, while financials were also a big drag on the index. * UK CORPORATE DIARY: Coca Cola HBC Half-year results Flutter Entertainment Half-year results TP ICAP Half-year results Bellway Trading Statement Hiscox Half-year results 4imprint Group Half-year results Hill & Smith Q2 results * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines ($1 = 0.7841 pounds) (Reporting by Zainab Saifee in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil)
