Dec 8 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 13 points lower at 6,542 on Tuesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.AX , RIO.L may face calls to pay compensation or a fine when an Australian parliamentary inquiry releases an interim report on Wednesday into how the firm legally destroyed ancient sacred rock shelters for an iron ore mine, industry sources said. ASTRAZENECA: A top U.S. scientist overseeing COVID-19 vaccine trials expects a large U.S. study to determine how effective AstraZeneca's AZN.L experimental inoculation is, following perplexing results from other trials released by the company and partner Oxford University. BREXIT: British and EU leaders will meet face-to-face to try to seal a post-Brexit trade deal after failing again to narrow their differences on Monday, increasing the chance of a disorderly parting of ways at the end of the month. GOLD: Gold prices hit a two-week high as investors remained hopeful of further U.S. stimulus measures to counter the economic fallout of a surge in coronavirus cases. OIL: Oil prices fell adding to losses from the previous session that came as California tightened its pandemic lockdown through Christmas and coronavirus cases continued to surge in the United States and Europe. The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed 0.1% higher on Monday over fears that Britain will stage a disorderly exit from the European Union, with banks and real estate taking a sharp beating. UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Redde Northgate Plc
HY earnings Ferguson Plc
Q1 management statement Ashtead Group Plc
Q2 results GB Group Plc
HY earnings
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