UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Dec 23

(Adds futures, news items)
Dec 23 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 19
points lower at 6,435 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures FFIc1 down 0.09 ahead of cash market open.

* BRITISH LAND: British Land Plc BLND.L said it had sold a 75% stake in
three buildings in the West End in London for 401 million pounds ($538.8
million) to Allianz Real Estate, as the mall and office owner divests its
non-core assets. * MARSTON'S: British pub operator Marston's MARS.L said it will operate
Brains' 156 pubs in Wales in a deal that will save 1,300 jobs, at a time when
the country is imposing fresh curbs to stymie the spread of a mutated variant of
the coronavirus. * CAIRN ENERGY: Cairn Energy CNE.L said it has won an international
arbitration case against the Indian government over a tax dispute, with the
tribunal awarding damages of $1.2 billion to the company. * COVID-19: A British government minister said he hoped trucks would start
crossing into France on Wednesday after Paris lifted its ban on freight coming
from Britain because of a new strain of coronavirus. * GOLD: Gold prices rose helped by a weaker dollar and as investors remained
optimistic about a U.S. stimulus package even after President Donald Trump
threatened not to sign the pandemic relief bill. * OIL: Oil prices dropped more than 1% after an industry report showed an
unexpected rise in U.S. crude oil inventories, and President Donald Trump
rattled markets by threatening not to sign a long-awaited U.S. COVID-19 relief
bill. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.6% higher on Tuesday as fresh
hopes of a trade deal with the European Union outweighed fears over a mutated
variant of the novel coronavirus that has shut most of the island
country. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB