UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 16

(Adds company news items and futures)
May 16 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is expected to open 32
points lower at 7,265 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures .FFIc1 down 0.08% ahead of the cash market open.
* JUST GROUP: Specialist pension provider Just Group JUSTJ.L recorded a
59% fall in retirement income sales to 184 million pounds ($236.40 million) in
the first quarter, hurt by lower sales of bulk annuities, it said on
Thursday. * PREMIER OIL: Britain's Premier Oil PMO.L increased its production
guidance for this year on Thursday to 75,000 to 80,000 barrels of oil equivalent
per day (boed) from up to 75,000 boed previously. * NATIONAL GRID: National Grid Plc NG.L , which runs Britain's energy
systems, on Thursday reported an 18% fall in its annual operating profit on
costs related to storms in the United States. * Keller Group: Ground engineering contractor Keller Group Plc KLR.L said
on Thursday first-half results for 2019 will be materially lower compared to a
year ago, but left its full-year expectations unchanged. * LLOYDS BANKING: Britain's biggest domestic lender Lloyds Banking Group
LLOY.L said on Thursday it would pay dividends quarterly from the first
quarter of 2020, in a move aimed at distributing income to its 2.4 million
shareholders more regularly and efficiently. * Burberry: British luxury brand Burberry BRBY.L reported broadly flat
full-year revenue and profit on Thursday and said it expected similar this year
as it sets the foundations for growth with more products by its new designer
Riccardo Tisco in stores. * SAFESTYLE: British windows and doors retailer Safestyle UK Plc SFES.L
said on Thursday it expects annual profit to be below current market
expectations, with margins recovering slower than it had hoped.
* GVC HOLDINGS: Ladbrokes-owner GVC Holdings Plc GVC.L on Thursday pointed
to a lower-than-expected impact from the new British gambling regulations that
capped betting on certain machines at 2 pounds from April. * THOMAS COOK: Travel group Thomas Cook TCG.L said economic and political
uncertainty would impact its profits this summer after it saw an increase in
losses on Thursday, adding it had received multiple bids for its airline unit
after it was put up for sale. * NON-STANDARD FINANCE: Non-Standard Finance Plc NSF.L on Wednesday
ploughed ahead with its 1.3 billion pound hostile takeover of Provident
Financial PFG.L , even though the subprime lender failed to win the backing of
some of its larger rival's investors. * ITV: British broadcaster ITV ITV.L has cancelled "The Jeremy Kyle Show",
a tabloid talkshow that features confrontations between guests over issues like
infidelity, betrayal and addiction, after a participant died following a
recording of the programme.
* OIL: Oil prices edged up on Thursday to extend gains into a third straight
session, as tensions in the Middle East stoked fears of potential disruptions to
supply. * GOLD: Gold prices marked time on Thursday as an uptick in equities offset
support from doubts over trade talks between the United States and
China. * EX-DIVS: GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L , HSBC Holdings HSBA.L , Intertek Group
ITRK.L , RDS 'A RDSa.L , RDS 'B RDSb.L , Tesco TSCO.L will trade without
entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 23.6 points
off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations. * The UK blue chip index closed 0.76% higher at 7241.60 on Wednesday as
hopes that the United States' trade tensions with China and Europe will
dissipate, combined with a weaker pound, lifted Britain's main index higher, as
a slew of earnings reports also drove share moves. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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