UK Stocks-Factors to watch on November 20

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.7%.

* BP: BP BP.L on Wednesday said it shut down the 400-mile Olympic Pipeline following a leak, halting fuel delivery from the system.

* HSBC: HSBC HSBA.L has appointed Steve Hughes as CEO and head of banking for Australia and New Zealand, effective January 1, 2026, a company spokesperson said on Thursday.

* CONSUMER SENTIMENT: British consumers' optimism about the economy and their own finances recorded its sharpest fall this month since April, when many household bills increased and U.S. President Donald Trump announced wide-ranging tariffs on imports from Britain.

* COMMODITIES: Oil prices edged up, gold prices edged lower, and copper rose on Thursday.

* EX-DIVS: National Grid NG.L, Vodafone Group VOD.L, Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust PLC SMT.L, DCC PLC DCC.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday.

* FTSE: London's FTSE 100 slipped for the fifth consecutive session on Wednesday, with defence and financial stocks leading the downturn, while inflation data bolstered expectations for a December interest rate reduction.

* 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

(Compiled by Nithyashree R B in Bengaluru)

((NithyashreeRB@thomsonreuters.com;))