UK Stocks-Factors to watch on December 2

Adds news items, updates futures

Dec 2 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening flat on Tuesday, with futures .FFIc1 down 0.07%.

* TOPPS TILES: British tile retailer Topps Tiles TPT.L said trading moderated in the first nine weeks of its new financial year due to weak consumer confidence.

* BAILLIE GIFFORD UK TRUSTS: U.S. activist investor Saba Capital has blocked a proposed merger of two London-listed Baillie Gifford-managed investment trusts USAB.L, EWI.L, the firms said on Tuesday.

* BANKS: Britain's central bank eased the capital requirements for lenders by 1 percentage point to 13%.

* UK FISCAL WATCHDOG: The head of Britain's fiscal watchdog resigned on Monday after the agency last week inadvertently released the budget before finance minister Rachel Reeves' announcement.

* PRIVATE SECTOR: Britain's private sector expects output to slide over the next three months in their gloomiest outlook since May.

* SHOP INFLATION: British store chains last month reported lower inflation in the run up to Black Friday sales but higher costs in 2026 mean retailers might struggle to keep inflation on its downward path, as per the British Retail Consortium.

* ZIPCAR: American car-sharing firm Zipcar said on Monday it plans to cease its operations in the United Kingdom.

* COMMODITIES: Oil prices held undefined held in early trading on Tuesday, gold eased after touching six-week high in the previous session, and copper eased from a peak.

* 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 Ankita Bora and Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)

((Ankita.Bora@thomsonreuters.com))