News: RIO UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Aug 8

(Adds company news items and futures)

Aug 8 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 21 points at 7,220 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 1% ahead of the cash market open.

• HARGREAVES LANSDOWN: British fund supermarket Hargreaves Lansdown HRGV.L on Thursday posted a 8.4% increase in full-year assets, boosted by an increase in its client base and net inflows of cash.
• AVIVA: British life and general insurer Aviva AV.L said on Thursday it was reviewing its Asia business as it posted a forecast-beating 1% rise in first-half operating profit.

• COCA COLA HBC: Swiss-based soft drink bottler Coca Cola HBC AG CCH.L reported a rise in first-half net sales on Thursday, driven by greater demand in Nigeria and other emerging markets in eastern Europe along with warm weather in the second half of June.
• HASTINGS: Hastings HSTG.L on Thursday posted first-half profit that more than halved, as the British insurer set aside more money for claims after a government-ordered change in the discount rate used to calculate compensation for personal injuries.
• SAVILLS: Real estate services provider Savills Plc SVS.L on Thursday posted lower pretax profit for the first half, as uncertainty due to the U.S.-China trade dispute and Brexit hit its earnings from Asia and the UK, respectively.
• BELLWAY: British housebuilder Bellway Plc BWY.L forecast higher annual housing revenue on Thursday, as it sold more affordable homes at higher prices.
• CO-OP BANK: Britain's Co-operative Bank narrowed its losses in the first half of 2019, but warned its profitability was under strain due to intense competition in the mortgage market.
• RYANAIR: Members of Ryanair's RYA.I British pilot union voted on Wednesday in favour of strike action later this month in a dispute over working conditions, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) said.
• DEBENHAMS: British department store group Debenhams will appoint Stefaan Vansteenkiste as its new chief executive officer, while Terry Duddy will step down as chairman in September, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.
• OIL: Oil futures jumped more than $1 a barrel on Thursday, recovering half of the nearly 5% losses in the previous session, on expectations that lower prices may lead to production cuts.

• GOLD: Gold prices rose again on Thursday after topping the $1,500 mark in the previous session, as central banks around the world slashed interest rates amidst fears of a global recession.

• EX-DIVS: Astrazeneca AZN.L , Barclays BARC.L , BP BP.L , BT Group BT.L , Diageo DGE.L , Direct Line DLGD.L , Fresnillo FRES.L , Glaxosmithkline GSK.L , Hiscox HSX.L , Informa INF.L , Lloyds Bank Group LLOY.L , Rio Tinto RIO.L , Rentokil Initial RTO.L , Standard Chartered Bank STAN.L , Unilever ULVR.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 37.7 points off the FTSE 100, according to Reuters calculations.
• The UK blue-chip index closed up 0.4% higher at 7,198.70 as investors composed themselves after sell-offs triggered by worries over the U.S.-China trade dispute and a weaker sterling supported exporter stocks.
• For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:

  TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines