UK Stocks-Factors to watch on October 23

Oct 23(Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down on Friday, with futures down 0.04%.

*ROLLS-ROYCE: Rolls-Royce RR.L is nearing a deal for British taxpayer subsidies of up to £200 million ($267.90 million) to help fund the development of a new engine for short-haul aircraft, with an announcement as early as next week, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

*UK'S GAS: Britain should have enough gas and electricity to meet peak demand this winter despite higher energy prices driven by conflict in the Middle East, the country's gas and power system operators said on Friday.

*UK'S CONSUMER: British consumer confidence has suffered its sharpest month-on-month fall since early in the COVID-19 pandemic as economic worries deepen, according to a survey that created an unwelcome backdrop for finance minister John Healey's budget next week.

*UK'S FINANCIAL REGULATORS: Britain's financial regulators on Thursday proposed further easing of rules on vetting employees at finance firms, aiming to reduce regulatory burden and boost economic growth.

*BANKING WATCHDOG: Britain's banking watchdog will review how financial regulation affects investment, capital and economic growth, signalling a sharper focus on transparency and an objective to promote competition.

* OIL: Oil prices were little changed in early Asian trade on Friday, after rising 4% to a five-month high in the previous session due to concern of further energy supply disruption after Houthi attacks on top exporter Saudi Arabia.

* GOLD: Gold eased on Friday, headed for its steepest weekly decline in over four months as elevated oil prices bolstered higher-for-longer interest rate expectations, while investors awaited next week's Federal Reserve policy meet.

* METALS: Nickel pulled back on Friday despite reports that Chinese producers were considering coordinated output cuts at their Indonesian operations, as traders awaited clearer signals from companies on the scale and timing of any reductions.

* FTSE 100: Britain's FTSE 100 fell on Thursday, pressured by banks and mining stocks as investors weighed more corporate results against a backdrop of elevated oil prices and persistent inflation concerns.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/

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