July 1 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is

seen opening flat on Tuesday, with futures little

changed.

* SAINSBURY: Sainsbury's ( JSNSF ) stuck to its annual profit

forecast on Tuesday, as it reported a 4.7% rise in underlying

sales in its first quarter.

* OFGEM: Ofgem on Tuesday said it has given a

provisional

approval for an initial 24 billion pounds ($32.98 billion)

investment programme to boost energy security and operate and

maintain critical gas networks and electricity grid in Britain.

* BLACKSTONE: Blackstone said it was

considering

its options regarding its bid for UK's Warehouse REIT

after its takeover target agreed to a 485.2 million

pound ($666.8 million) deal with Tritax Big Box REIT

last week.

* MPAC GROUP: Mpac Group said on Tuesday it had

restructured

its U.S. operations, after a slowdown in orders due to

tariffs resulted in a significant hit to its annual revenues.

* SHELL: Canada's first-ever LNG export cargo has been

shipped from the country's Pacific Coast en route to Asia, a

spokesperson for the Shell-led LNG Canada said on Monday.

* OIL: Oil prices edged down, weighed by expectations of an

OPEC+ output hike in August and concerns of an economic slowdown

driven by prospects of higher U.S. tariffs.

* GOLD: Gold prices rose, supported by a weaker dollar and

heightened uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff

policies ahead of the July 9 deadline, driving investors toward

safe-haven assets.

* METALS: Coppers prices on the London Metal Exchange and

the Shanghai Futures Exchange inched up on the back of a weaker

U.S. dollar, while uncertainty persisted on U.S. trade with

major partners.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please

click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines

(Reporting by Subiksha S and Ankita Bora in Bengaluru)