UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 18

(Adds futures, news items)
March 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 30
points higher at 6,793 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures .FFIc1 up 0.24% ahead of the cash market open.

* OCADO: Ocado Retail said revenue rose 39.7% in its first quarter to Feb.
28. * PREMIER OIL: Shares in Harbour Energy, to be created from the merger of
Premier Oil PMO.L and private equity owned Chrysaor, will start trading in
London on April 1, Premier said. * NATIONAL GRID: National Grid NG.L said it had agreed to buy Western
Power Distribution (WPD), from U.S. company PPL Corp PPL.N for 7.8 billion
pounds. * 888 HOLDINGS: 888 Holdings 888.L posted higher annual adjusted core
earnings and signalled strong momentum in 2021 so far. * FEVERTREE: Fever-Tree FEVR.L forecast better 2021 revenues with at-home
drinking catching on. * NATIONAL EXPRESS: National Express NEX.L said earnings fell 64% in 2020
as the pandemic impacted passenger numbers on its bus and coach
operations. * OSB GROUP: OSB Group OSBO.L said on Wednesday it had "very recently
become aware of potential fraudulent activity" involving a third party it
provides funding lines to and had hired forensic experts Smith & Williamson to
investigate. * VODAFONE: Vodafone VOD.L has priced shares in infrastructure unit
Vantage Towers VTWRn.DE at 24 euros each, valuing the firm at 12.1 billion
euros, Vantage Towers said. * U.S. FED: The U.S. economy is heading for its strongest growth in nearly
40 years, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday, and central bank policymakers
are pledging to keep their foot on the gas despite an expected surge of
inflation. * ASTRAZENECA: AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) AZN.L said its scheduled deliveries of COVID-19
vaccines to Britain are unaffected and supply chain in the country is not
experiencing disruption, after Britain said vaccine supplies would dip at the
end of March. * COVID-19: Britain's supply of coronavirus vaccines is "lumpy", health
minister Matt Hancock said on Wednesday after a letter warned there would be a
significant reduction in the amount of vaccine available from March
29. * OIL: Oil prices dropped after official data showed a sustained rise in
U.S. crude and fuel inventories. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.6% lower on Wednesday.
For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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