UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 25

(Adds company news items and futures)
March 25 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down
71 points on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers with futures up 2.64%
ahead of cash markets open.
* UK INFLATION: British consumer price inflation slipped back in February
from a six-month high it had reached the month before, reflecting a drop in the
cost of fuel and video games that predated the massive current impact of
coronavirus on the economy. * HALFORDS: British bicycles and car products retailer Halfords HFD.L
warned that it was likely that sales would drop sharply as a result of
government measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, prompting it to try to
save cash. * HILTON FOOD GROUP: Hilton Food Group HFG.L , the international food
packing business, said on Wednesday that all of its facilities remain fully
operational during the coronavirus outbreak. * YOURGENE HEALTH: Healthcare companies Novacyt ALNOV.PA and Yourgene
Health Plc YGEN.L said on Wednesday that they would be teaming up to produce
coronavirus testing products in the United Kingdom. * PERSIMMON: British housebuilder Persimmon PSN.L said on Wednesday it was
starting an orderly shutdown of its construction sites with only essential work
taking place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
* SSP: British travel-food company SSP SSPG.L launched emergency measures
to prop up its business on Wednesday, including layoffs and applying for support
under the government's coronavirus schemes, saying its business in Europe had
plunged as much as 85%.
* COVID-19: Britain will open a temporary hospital next week at the ExCel
exhibition centre in east London, health minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday,
as the country posted its biggest daily rise in coronavirus deaths. * BRITISH RETAIL: With Britain in lockdown, supermarkets have started to
limit the number of customers in stores at any one time to enforce social
distancing. * FINANCIAL RESULTS: More than four million British businesses will be able
to apply for a three-month extension for filing their accounts so they can
prioritise managing the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the government
announced on Wednesday. * GOLD: Gold prices inched up in volatile trade on Wednesday, as growing
hopes for a massive U.S. economic stimulus package offset liquidation by
investors looking for cash and to cover losses in other assets. * OIL: Oil prices extended gains for a third session on Wednesday, rising
alongside broader financial markets on hopes Washington will soon approve a
massive aid package. * The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 9.1% on Tuesday as the index saw
its best day since the huge swings of the 2008 financial crash on Tuesday,
retracing some of the past week's losses as massive stimulus efforts globally
calmed investors. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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