UK Stocks -- Factors to watch on Dec 22

LONDON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening
15-18 points higher on Tuesday, building on the previous session's gains and
mirroring strength overnight on Wall Street and in Asia, as investors await the
final reading for UK Q3 GDP.

According to financial bookmakers, the blue chip index is set to rise as
much as 0.3 percent, after closing up 97.18 points, or 1.9 percent, at 5,293.99
on Monday, posting its biggest one-day percentage gain since Dec. 1.

The UK blue chip index is up 53 percent from a six-year low hit in March,
though it is still 2.3 percent below its level of mid-September 2008 before the
collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Investors will be eyeing the final reading for UK third-quarter GDP,
scheduled for release at 0930 GMT.

It is expected by economists to show a further upward revision, with a
quarterly contraction of 0.1 percent rather than the 0.3 percent previously
thought.

In the U.S., a final estimate of third-quarter GDP is also expected, as well
as existing home sales data for November.

British house prices will rise by 1-2 percent next year, with gains in the
first few months of 2010 followed by stagnation and modest falls in the second
half of the year, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said on Tuesday.
[ID:nLDE5BK0X3]

* Dlr holds firm, Asia stocks track US tech rally [ID:nTOE5BL00D]

* Wall St climbs on health bill; Nasdaq at 15-month high [ID:nN21243288]

* Nikkei hits 8-week high on weaker yen; Isuzu jumps [ID:nTOE5BL04W]

* FOREX-Dollar pushes to 2-mth high vs yen, yields support [ID:nTOE5BL04X]

* TREASURIES-Prices fall on stronger growth outlooks [ID:nN21607821]

* Oil steady ahead of OPEC, firm dlr offsets US data [ID:nSGE5BL01Q]

* PRECIOUS-Gold rises in bounce from 6-½ week low, ETF up [ID:nTOE5BL00A]

* METALS-Copper steady, shrugs off dollar weight [ID:nTOE5BL00K]

UK stocks to watch on Tuesday:

BAE SYSTEMS (BAES.L)

The defence contractor on Monday urged the U.S. Army to rethink its strategy
to buy medium-sized trucks after government auditors upheld BAE's protest
against a multibillion dollar contract award to Oshkosh Corp (OSK.N).
[ID:nN21244030]

BHP BILLITON (BLT.L)

The miner has pulled out of a $2 billion nickel project in the southern
Philippines after selling its 40 percent stake to a local partner.
[ID:nSGE5BL00S]

BP (BP.L)

Legal experts believe that the $100 million BP was fined for safety breaches
at its Texas City refinery will likely be cut on appeal, said the Times.

SINCLAIR PHARMA (SPH.L)

The skincare specialist holds its annual general meeting.

STERLING ENERGY (SEY.L)

The oil and gas company holds an extraordinary general meeting.

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times [PRESS/FT]

> Other business headlines [PRESS/GB]

(Reporting by Tricia Wright)