Dec 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down 12 points at 7,032 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* The UK blue chip index closed up 0.4 percent at 7,043.96 points on Tuesday, helped by gains in Carnival CCL.L and strength in the banking sector as Lloyds LLOY.L rose after a deal to buy a credit card business. BHP BILLITON: Brazilian iron ore miner Vale VALE5.SA said on Tuesday it signed a non-binding agreement with BHP Billiton BHP.AX BLT.L to allow the use of its Timbopeba pit to deposit tailings from iron miner Samarco when that company restarts operations. ROLLS-ROYCE: Rolls-Royce Corp of Indianapolis, Indiana, a unit of Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc RR.L , has been awarded a $408 million modification to a contract to provide maintenance support for V-22 AE1107C engines for the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force, the Pentagon said in a statement on Tuesday. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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