Jan 10 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open lower on Wednesday, with futures down 0.36%.

* PERSIMMON: British housebuilder Persimmon said on Wednesday that the housing market conditions would remain challenging this year, as broader economic woes continue to fuel affordability concerns.

* PENNON: British water company Pennon Group said on Wednesday it will

buy

the holding company of Sutton and East Surrey Water for a total enterprise value of 380 million pounds (about $482 million).

* SAINSBURY: Sainsbury's, Britain's second biggest supermarket group, on Wednesday

kept

its profit guidance for the full year.

* GREGGS: British baker and food-to-go company Greggs said

demand

for seasonal products such as its Festive Bake, Christmas lunch baguette and hot drinks helped deliver a better-than-expected 9.4% rise in like-for-like sales in the fourth quarter.

* METAL: Prices of copper slipped on Wednesday on a steady U.S. dollar as investors awaited key economic data, while demand concerns due to a gloomy economic outlook further hit sentiment.

* GOLD: Gold prices were subdued on Wednesday on a firmer U.S. dollar and elevated treasury yields, ahead of a key U.S. inflation report that could shed some light on the Federal Reserve's rate cut trajectory.

* OIL: Oil rose for a second day on Wednesday after an industry report showed a bigger-than-expected drawdown of crude inventories in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, that bolstered demand sentiment.

* FTSE 100: The UK's main stock indexes closed down on Tuesday as miners dragged blue chips lower.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

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

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines (Reporting by Hani Kollathodi in Bengaluru)