UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Thursday, Jan 23

LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening flat to 11 points lower on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on News Search ID:nL5N0KX0C7

* Activity in China's factory sector contracted in January for the first time in six months, a preliminary survey showed on Thursday, pointing to a weak start for the economy in 2014 as policymakers seek to curb high debt levels to head off financial risks. News Search ID:nL3N0KX138

* European Central Bank President Mario Draghi cautioned Wednesday against undue optimism for the euro zone economy, saying there still were significant risks of setbacks to the recovery. News Search ID:nWEB00H2L

* Bank of England policymakers are discussing what they will do when unemployment falls to their threshold level for considering an increase in interest rates, said Ian McCafferty, a member of the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee. News Search ID:nL5N0KW417

* British car production reached its highest level since 2007 last year, buoyed by strong domestic demand and exports outside the European Union, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. News Search ID:nL5N0KW3QR

* LONMIN LMI.L - South Africa's hardline Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union began a strike over pay in the platinum sector, bringing mines that produce half the world's platinum to a standstill. News Search ID:nL5N0KX07F

* UNILEVER ULVR.L - The consumer goods group is considering whether to sell its Slim-Fast business, Sky News reported, after months of speculation sparked by a similar move from rival Nestle NESN.VX . News Search ID:nL5N0KW34A

* RBS RBS.L - The author of a report into state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland's lending to small businesses said he found no evidence of the bank engineering companies into default. News Search ID:nL5N0KW3C6

RBS is also among the banks being investigated by EU antitrust regulators for suspected rigging of interest rates linked to the Swiss franc, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. News Search ID:nL5N0KW3Q3

* The UK blue chip index closed down 7.93 points, or 0.1 percent, at 6,826.33 points the previous session, holding around 40 points below Tuesday's eight-month high. News Search ID:nL5N0KW3EX

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

A.G.BARR PLC TRADING BAG.L

CHEMRING GROUP PLC PRELIM CHG.L

EASYJET PLC Q1 TRADE EZJ.L

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE GROUP PLC Q3 TRADE LSE.L

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times Href="NewsSearch">PRESS/FT

> Other business headlines Href="NewsSearch">PRESS/GB

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(Reporting By Toni Vorobyova; Editing by Sunil Nair)

((antonina.vorobyova@thomsonreuters.com)(+44 207 542 9828)(Reuters Messaging: antonina.vorobyova@thomsonreuters.com))

Keywords: MARKETS BRITAIN FACTORS