UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 19

March 19 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.13%.

* UNILIVER: Ben & Jerry's said its parent, Unilever ULVR.L decided to oust the ice cream maker's chief executive, Dave Stever.

* RIO TINTO: Institutional Shareholder Services urged Rio Tinto RIO.L shareholders to approve a proposal to review the miner's dual-listed structure amid pressure from activist Palliser Capital.

* HALEON: Pfizer PFE.N will sell its remaining stake in British consumer healthcare group Haleon HLN.L, the companies said.

* HARGREAVES LANDOWN: Hargreaves Lansdown HRGV.L said its finance chief Amy Stirling will step down after three years in the role.

* HUNTING: Britain's Hunting Plc HTG.L said it was considering cutting jobs at its EMEA operations.

* GOVERNMENT SPENDING: British finance minister Rachel Reeves is planning a new, multibillion-pound public spending squeeze in next week's Spring Statement, the Financial Times reported.

* WAGES: Pay increases granted by British employers have fallen back in line with inflation for the first time since October 2023, according to data from Brightmine.

* OIL: Oil prices fell after Russia agreed to U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal that Moscow and Kyiv stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure temporarily, which could lead to more Russian oil entering global markets.

* GOLD: Gold rose to hit a record high on Middle East tensions and trade uncertainties, while traders awaited the Federal Reserve's decision.

* METALS: Copper prices held firm near a five-month high, with markets watching out for potential U.S. tariffs on copper.

* The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 0.3% on Tuesday.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/

TODAY'S UK PAPERS> Financial Times PRESS/FT> Other business headlines PRESS/GB

($1 = 0.7702 pounds)

(Compiled by Simone Lobo in Bengaluru)

((Simone.Lobo@thomsonreuters.com; +919920570373))