UK Stocks -- Factors to watch on July 27

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index
is seen opening 38-53 points, or as much as 1.2 percent, higher on Monday,
according to financial bookmakers, extending the winning run into a
record-equalling 11 sessions, tracking gains in Asia on hopes of a further
recovery in corporate earnings.

The FTSE 100 index closed 16.81 points higher on Friday at 4,576.61, a 6-1/2
month closing peak and taking its winning run to ten straight sessions.

The UK blue-chip index has risen almost 11 percent over the past two weeks
on reassuring U.S. corporate earnings results and is up 32 percent since a
trough in March.

House prices in England and Wales were flat for a third consecutive month in
July, causing the year-on-year decline to slow to 7.7 percent from 8.7 percent,
property data company Hometrack said on Monday.

A broad-based recovery in house prices was still a long way off, however,
with rising unemployment and a shortage of mortgage finance standing in the way,
Hometrack said in its report. [ID:nLO264117]

Britain's economy will grow just 0.5 percent next year and 1.5 percent in
2011, meaning it will take far longer to recover than in previous recessions,
business advisory firm Deloitte said in its latest quarterly review.
[ID:nLQ480900]

With no other domestic indicators due for release on Monday, June U.S. new
homes sales numbers will be the main macro focus, with the consensus forecast
for a rise of 0.36 million, up from 0.342 million in May.

* GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks rally persists; earnings eyed [ID:nHKG360494]

* Nikkei hits 6-week high on hopes for corp earnings [ID:nTKW006518]

* Nasdaq snaps 12-day run; Dow, S&P 500 edge up [ID:nN24484355]

* FOREX-Major currencies steady, US GDP to take centre stage [ID:nT101380]

* TREASURIES-Edge down as regional stocks rise [ID:nT103249]

* Oil rises towards $69, economic optimism supports [ID:nSYD506130]

* PRECIOUS-Gold inches up on weak dlr, ETF holdings steady [ID:nT77655]

* METALS-Shanghai copper extends gains to third day, LME up [ID:nMAN259500]

UK stocks to watch on Monday are:

PEARSON (PSON.L)

The publishing group reports first-half results.

WOLSELEY (WOS.L)

The plumbing supplies firm issues a trading update.

NATIONAL GRID (NG.L)

The power generator issues a trading update.

VEDANTA RESOURCES (VED.L)

The miner holds its annual general meeting.

BANKS

Britain's finance minister, Alistair Darling, is expected to meet with some
of the major banks on Monday to express his concern at borrowing costs,
especially for small and medium-sized companies. [nLQ677599]

REXAM (REX.L)

The drinks can maker, saddled with net debt of 2.7 billion pounds ($4.5
billion), said on Sunday it was considering a rights issue in an attempt to
preserve its investment grade credit rating. [nLQ676447]

AVIVA (AV.L)

A consortium headed by insurance giant Aviva has proposed the launch of a
new investment fund with up to one billion pounds to buy and rent out new-build
residential property in partnership with property consultancy CB Richard Ellis
and an unnamed major U.S. residential manager, the Financial Times said on
Monday.

NATIONAL EXPRESS (NEX.L)

The transport group is set to reject a takeover bid from Spain's Cosmen
family and CVC and will argue at its interim results on Thursday that its plans
for an independent future offer better value than either of the preliminary
approaches it has received, the Financial Times said on Monday.

STAGECOACH (SGC.L), NATIONAL EXPRESS (NEX.L)

Stagecoach is considering entering the race for rival National Express,
trumping an expected bid from Spain's Cosmen family and private-equity firm CVC,
according to The Sunday Times.

EASYJET (EZJ.L)

The low-budget carrier will tell investors that its public dispute with its
founder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, over the company's expansion plans has been
resolved when it issues a trading statement on Wednesday, the Times said on
Monday.

JJB SPORTS (JJB.L)

The sports retailer is considering hiring back Tom Knight, its former chief
executive, to help it negotiate the slump in its sales and the effects of its
recent bitter feud with Mike Ashley, the founder of Sports Direct (SPD.L), The
Times said on Monday.

LLOYDS BANKING GROUP (LLOY.L)

The part-state-owned bank could become the latest addition to the list of
big UK companies to axe their final pension for existing employees, The
Independent said on Monday.

SAINSBURY (SBRY.L)

The British grocer started selling non-food products on the Internet on
Sunday as part of its growth strategy centred on expanding beyond its core
grocery offering.[nLQ673731]

BT GROUP (BT.L)

BT Group expects to be able to offer the full Sky Sports Premier League
soccer package from BSkyB (BSY.L) at a reduced price to BT Vision customers by
the start of the 2010-11 season, according to a report in the Independent.

SABMILLER (SAB.L)

The brewing giant said on Sunday that Kenya's East African Breweries
Limited's plan to end a deal with Tanzania Breweries Limited and take a stake in
a competitor was a breach of contract. [nLQ354167]

INDEPENDENT NEWS & MEDIA (INME.I)

A key shareholder in the Irish-based newspaper group, telecoms tycoon Denis
O'Brien warned in an interview with the Sunday Times that the future of the
indebted publisher hung in the balance as talks with lenders over a 200 million
euro bond dragged on. [nLQ657871]

ITV (ITV.L)

Internet entrepreneur Peter Dubens has emerged as a bidder for Friends
Reunited, the social networking site bought by broadcaster ITV in 2005 for 175
million pounds ($290 million), offering about 15 million pounds through his
private equity firm Oakley Capital, according to The Mail On Sunday.
[ID:nLQ693223]

INSURERS

Britain's biggest insurance companies could take on welfare state payments
of about 17 billion pounds ($28.10 billion) to help ease public spending
pressures, according to the Daily Telegraph. [ID:nLQ020153]

RYANAIR (RYA.I)

The Irish discount airline reports first-quarter adjusted net profit of
136.5 million euros, up 550 percent year-on-year, helped by a 42 percent
reduction in fuel costs. [ID:nWLA9805]

FILTRONIC (FTC.L)

The telecoms technology firm posts full-year results.

WSP GROUP (WSPG.L)

The building and environmental consultancy posts first-half results.

PACE (PIC.L)

The set-top box manufacturer reports first-half results.

TOTAL SYSTEMS TTLS.L

The software and services group posts full-year results.

DIALIGHT RXO.L

The smart metering group reports first-half results.

CRANSWICK (CWK.L)

The pork supplier holds its annual general meeting.

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times [PRESS/FT]

> Other business headlines [PRESS/GB]

(Reporting by Jon Hopkins; editing by Simon Jessop)