UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Feb 21

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UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Feb 21
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Feb 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 7 points on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, while FTSE 100 futures .FFIc1 were up 0.15 percent ahead of the cash market open.

* BARCLAYS: Barclays BARC.L reported a lower-than-forecast attributable profit of 3.5 billion pounds ($4.56 billion) for 2018, as it took a 150 million pound provision against Brexit losses and its trading business weathered a difficult fourth quarter. BAE SYSTEMS: Britain's biggest defence company BAE Systems BAES.L said its earnings would grow in 2019 compared to a flat 2018, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty which could affect its business. SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L and PetroChina 601857.SS are at loggerheads over gas sales pricing at their Arrow Energy joint venture, holding up development of Australia's biggest coal seam gas resource, three industry sources said. ANGLO AMERICAN: Anglo American Plc AAL.L on Thursday posted a better than expected 4 percent rise in underlying core earnings, driven by higher prices, volumes and lower costs. RELX: European information and analytics provider Relx REL.L said business trends in the beginning of 2019 had continued in line with its 2018 performance as it reported an as-expected 4 percent rise in underlying revenue growth. SERCO: British outsourcing firm Serco SRP.L raised its 2019 profit and revenue forecasts on Thursday buoyed by a run of recent contract wins despite what CEO Rupert Soames called "the fog of Brexit". CENTRICA: Britain's largest energy supplier Centrica Plc CNA.L on Thursday reported higher 2018 profit, but lost consumers during the year and warned that a national price cap on energy bills would hit its 2019 financial performance. PLAYTECH: Gambling software developer Playtech PTEC.L announced a 40 million euro ($45.34 million) share buyback and forecast higher core earnings for 2019 on the strength of its gambling business. TBC BANK: Georgia's biggest retail bank TBC Bank Group Plc TBCG.L reported a 21.5 percent jump in full-year earnings, as lending remained strong on the back of a strong macroeconomic performance in the former Soviet republic. MCBRIDE: McBride Plc MCB.L warned on Thursday that Britain's disorderly exit from the European Union could raise costs on imported raw materials and goods, bring on more regulatory requirements and prevent seamless travels for its employees. RATHBONE BROTHERS: Wealth manager Rathbone Brothers Plc RAT.L reported higher full-year profit on Thursday, mainly on the purchase of Scottish peer Speirs & Jeffrey, but warned Britain's impending divorce from the European Union could affect the value of its funds under management and administration. GLENCORE: Glencore GLEN.L on Wednesday said it would "vigorously contest" a $680 million tax demand from the British authorities linked to transfer pricing. STANDARD CHARTERED: Standard Chartered Plc STAN.L said on Wednesday Britain's financial watchdog had imposed a fine of 102.2 million pounds ($133.34 million) in relation to its investigation into the bank's historical financial crime controls. ANGLO AMERICAN: Anglo American AAL.L said on Thursday it has suspended operations at its Moranbah North coking coal mine in Australia after one worker died and several were injured on Wednesday. EX-DIVS: Carnival (NYSE: CCL ) CCL.L , GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L and Imperial Brands IMB.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 7.16 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations. The UK blue chip index closed 0.7 percent higher at 7,228.62 points on Wednesday, as Lloyds (LON: LLOY ) gained after promising to return cash to shareholders and optimism prevailed over China-U.S. trade talks. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/

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