UK Stocks-Factors to watch on August 13

Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index was seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.2%.

• House prices: Britain's housing market remained sluggish last month but there was a recovery in confidence about the sales outlook, a survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed.

• Oil: Oil prices eased after gains in previous sessions, as attention turned to expectations of weaker global oil demand this year, while there was no progress on opening the vital Strait of Hormuz.

• Gold: Gold steadied near a more than two-month high as traders paused after a rally fuelled by cooling U.S. inflation, with attention turning to an upcoming producer price report for clues to prospects of near-term Federal Reserve rate hikes.

• Metals: Copper and the broader industrial metals complex slipped, as the dollar strengthened after U.S. inflation data did not affect expectations for next month's U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision, which could influence economic activity.

HSBC Holdings HSBA.L, Rio Tinto RIO.L, BP BP.L, NatWest NWG.L, LSEG LSEG.L, Haleon HLN.L, Fresnillo FRES.L, Rentokil Initial RTO.L, IMI IMI.L, Pearson PSON.L, Melrose MRON.L, Babcock International BAB.L, Hiscox HSX.L, IG Group IGG.L, Tritax Big Box BBOXT.L and Hikma HIK.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday.