UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Oct 4

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* Britain's FTSE 100 is set to open 12 to 17 points higher, or asmuch as 0.3 percent, according to financial bookmakers. For more on the factorsaffecting European stocks, please click on

* The blue-chip FTSE 100 .FTSE index closed up 0.3 percent, or 16.36 pointshigher, at 5,825.81 points on Wednesday driven by gains in "defensive" stocksseen as the most resilient to an economic downturn.

* The Bank of England interest rate decision is due out at 1100 GMT withrates widely expected to remain at the record low of 0.5 percent. The main focuswill be on the bank's quantitative easing measure and whether it will look toexpand the programme in the wake of recent downbeat economic data, althoughcurrent forecasts are for it to remain unchanged.

* In the United States, jobless claims due at 1230 GMT will be the finalclue to the health of the economy ahead of non far payrolls data on Friday.

Following the preliminary report of a massive 13.2 percent plunge in Augustdurable goods orders, factory orders, due out at 1400 GMT, are overall seen downabout 5.8 percent. A rise of 1.0 percent in the value of nondurables orders(assisted by rising fuel prices) can only modestly blunt the fall, which wouldbe the steepest since January 2009.

* METALS: Copper drifted lower on Thursday on worries over a worseningoutlook for Europe's economy and slowing growth in China, although signals thatrecovery could be taking hold in the United States kept losses in check.

EURO ZONE DEBT CRISIS: Greece's hopes of striking a deal with its lendersbefore euro zone finance ministers meet next week dimmed on Wednesday, whenofficials admitted the two sides disagree on how much the economy will contractin 2013 - a key figure in their calculations.

* BHP BILITON : The top global miner is among the companies talkingto Petrobras about buying a stake in the Brazilian state-led oil company's Gulfof Mexico oil fields, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citingpeople familiar with the matter.

* E VRAZ : Russia's largest steelmaker, agreed to increase its stakein the Russian coal miner Raspadskaya by half to 82 percent.

* GLAXOSMITHKLINE : Shionogi-viiv healthcare announces the completionof initial clinical r egistration package for dolutegravir in H IV.

* BAE SYSTEMS : EADS Chief Executive Tom Enders is preparedto talk about guarantees for jobs and production sites in a planned merger ofthe company with Britain's defence firm BAE Systems, he told Germany's Bilddaily.

* HALFORDS : The car parts and cycles retailer picked former Pets atHome boss Matt Davies as its new chief executive, to drive a sales recovery.

Halfords also reported strong summer trading as customers were inspired byBritain's Tour de France and Olympics cycling success, helping the group recoversome of the ground lost in the spring.

* TED BAKER : The fashion label reported first-half profit before taxand exceptionals were up 10.4 percent to 9.4 million pounds but remains cautiousat this stage given the uncertainty in the global economy and full year resultswill be dependent on trading in the important second half.

* CARILLION : The support services and construction firm says Q3trading is in line with expectations and it reiterates FY guidance. It says itis well positioned to achieve its medium-term targets of doubling annualrevenues in the Middle East and in Canada in the five year period to 2015, ineach case to around 1 billion pounds.

* RENOLD : The industrial chain maker issued profit warning on weakdemand saying adjusted operating profit for the year, ending 31 March, will besignificantly belowcurrent market expectations.

ROBERT WALTERS : The recruiter says Q3 net fees are up 1 pct but Asiapacific continues to be impacted by weakness in the financial services sectoralthough group trading remains in line with expectations.

* ULTRA ELECTRONICS : The technology firm wins a 14 million poundscontract to supply its sensor management and situational awareness system forthe UK Ministry of Defence.

* PROMETHEAN WORLD : The provider of interactive learning technologyreported Q 3 sales were down 41.2 pct ye ar -on-ye ar . It said i n the short term,education markets constrained by customer funding issues in the U.S . a nd European d fo r 2013, the group expects that market conditions will continue to remaindif f icult.

* RANDALL AND QUILTER : The investment firm has completed theacquisition of the entire issued share capital of RAB Insurance.

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

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(Written by David Brett)

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Keywords: MARKETS BRITAIN FACTORS