UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on June 19

(Adds company news items, futures)
June 19 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 10
points higher at 7,453 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures FFIc1 down 0.03% ahead of the cash market open.
* WHITBREAD: Whitbread Plc WTB.L said on Wednesday its first-quarter room
revenue was hit by tough market competition and ongoing Brexit uncertainty, as
the company tries to focus on its Premier Inn-brand after selling Costa Coffee
to Coca-Cola Co KO.N last year. * BERKELEY: Housebuilder Berkeley Group Plc BKGH.L reported a slump in
annual pretax profit as Britain's housing sector continued to be pressured due
to increasing uncertainty ahead of the country's exit from the European
Union. * SAGA: Insurance and tourism firm Saga Plc SAGAG.L said on Wednesday
that its tour operations were still being hit by political uncertainties in the
UK, even as overall trading so far was in line with expectations as it revamps
its insurance business. * BLUE PRISM: Blue Prism Group PRSMB.L said on Wednesday it had agreed to
buy cloud services company Thoughtonomy for up to 80 million pounds ($100
million) to help it supply mid-tier companies with its robotic process
automation platform. * MULBERRY: British luxury bag maker Mulberry MUL.L swung to a loss in
2018 as it took a 2.1 million pounds ($2.64 million) hit from the collapse of
department store group House of Fraser, adding to general weakness in its home
market. * ROLLS ROYCE: Rolls-Royce RR.L chief executive Warren East said on
Tuesday that uncertainties over Brexit remain an unwelcome distraction for the
aerospace industry three years after Britain voted to leave the European Union.
* ACACIA MINING: Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO , the world's No. 2 gold miner,
believes its proposed offer to take full control of its African unit is "more
than fair" and will engage with Acacia Mining Plc's ACAA.L board and minority
shareholders to win them over, Chief Executive Mark Bristow told Reuters on
Tuesday. * GOALS SOCCER CENTRES: British five-a-side football pitch operator Goals
Soccer Centres GOAL.L confirmed on Tuesday it is hiring audit firm Deloitte to
help it assess options amid discussions with the UK tax authority HMRC regarding
certain tax errors. * SPORTS DIRECT, GOALS SOCCER CENTRES: Mike Ashley's Sports Direct SPD.L
has demanded British five-a-side football pitch operator Goals Soccer Centres
GOAL.L to allow it to hire corporate investigator Kroll to look into a slew of
accounting issues at the company, Sky News reported. * GOLD: Gold traded almost steady on Wednesday as investors awaited the U.S.
Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision later in the day, while expectations
of an improvement in trade relationship between the United States and China
dented the metal's appeal. * OIL: Oil prices extended gains on Wednesday after rising in the previous
session on rekindled hopes for a U.S.-China trade deal and on the potential for
conflict between the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East after tanker attacks there
last week. * The UK blue chip index ended 1.2% higher on Tuesday as a promise of more
stimulus if required from European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi lifted
UK shares across sectors.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB