UK Stocks - Factors to watch on July 24

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index .FTSE is seen opening
9-18 points lower on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, having closed
up 85.8 points, or 1.6 percent at 5,449.9 in the previous session.
With U.S. crude CLc1 prices falling to about $124 a barrel, extending a
precipitous pull-back from this month's high of above $147, the UK's blue-chip
index is seen opening slightly lower.
Overnight, U.S. stocks rose as financial shares climbed on opitimism about a
rescue plan for mortgage finance firms and as the price of oil fell.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 gained almost 2 percent.

On the economic front, UK retail sales data for June and U.S. jobless claims
and home sales numbers may offer direction as the session progresses.

Among the flurry of corporate updates, BG Group (BG.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Kingfisher
(KGF.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) standout.

"Look for this to provide further meaningful direction but if those retail
figures disappoint then the selling pressures could easily resume in earnest,"
said Paul Webb, chief dealer at CMC Markets.

* Wall St rises on oil drop, housing plan optimism [ID:nSP113668]

* Oil deepens slide to 7-week low on US demand woes [ID:nSP221306]

* Japan stocks up 2 pct as exporters gain on soft yen [ID:nT289553]

* TREASURIES-Slide halts in Asia, housing data awaited [ID:nT266163]

* FOREX-Dollar near one-month high vs yen, kiwi slides [ID:nT117448]

UK stocks to watch on Thursday are:

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND (RBS.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

Royal Bank of Scotland is under pressure from its biggest shareholders to
sacrifice one of the two leading lights in its boardroom following a series of
strategic blunders, the Daily Mail said.

The newspaper said insurance giant Legal & General (LGEN.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has RBS Chairman
Tom McKillop and Chief Executive Fred Goodwin in its sights after the two
directors presided over 5.9 billion pounds of writedowns and a 12 billion pound
rights issue.

BP GROUP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The Russian billionaires fighting BP for control of their joint venture,
TNK-BP, have turned up the heat on its chief executive, Robert Dudley, accusing
him of breaching his duties and warning they may seek damages running into
hundreds of millions of pounds, reported the Daily Telegraph.

BRITISH ENERGY (BG.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), CENTRICA (CNA.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

EDF (EDF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is edging closer to clinching an 11 billion pound takeover of
British Energy as it emerged last night that Centrica had resumed talks with the
French company to buy a stake of up to 25 per cent if the deal proceeds,
reported the Times.

STANDARD CHARTERED (STAN.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (2888.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

Emerging market-focused bank Standard Chartered began issuing its first
yuan-denominated debit card on Thursday as it targets business from China's more
than $2 trillion in household savings. [ID:nSHA14474]

PRUDENTIAL (PRU.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), RANK (RNK.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

Prudential is set to mark its return to the lucrative pensions buy-out
market with an estimated 350 million pounds deal to take on part of the Rank
pension scheme from Goldman Sachs, the Financial Times said.

BRADFORD & BINGLEY (BB.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The mortgage lender has raised 2.5 billion pounds of much-needed funding by
successfully completing its first securitisation of the year, the Daily
Telegraph said.

TAYLOR WIMPEY (TW.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

Britain's biggest housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has hired NM Rothschild to
negotiate a covenant waiver with its lender, the Daily Telegraph said.

KINGFISHER (KGF.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to announce its pre-close second quarter trading update.

BG GROUP (BG.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to announce its second quarter earnings results.

ROLLS-ROYCE GROUP (RR.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to announce its first half earnings results.

IMPERIAL TOBACCO (IMT.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to issue a trading update.

CAPITA (CPI.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to announce its first half earnings results.

SCOTTISH & SOUTHERN ENERGY (SSE.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to hold its annual general meeting.

YELL GROUP (YELL.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to announce its first quarter earnings results.

MISYS (MSY.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to announce its preliminary final earnings results.

JJB SPORTS (JJB.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to hold its annual general meeting.

SSL INTERNATIONAL (SSL.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The firm is due to hold its annual general meeting.

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times [PRESS/FT]

> Other business headlines [PRESS/GB]

(Reporting by Michael Taylor)