May 1 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 35 points higher at 7,454 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* RIO TINTO: Copper miner Rio Tinto Ltd RIO.AX , RIO.L "firmly believes" that the United States and China will ink a trade deal, Chief Executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques told the CNBC television network on Tuesday. BP: Gambia's government said on Tuesday it had signed a contract with BP BP.L to explore oil and gas off its coast. OIL: Oil prices fell on Wednesday after a report showed a rise in U.S. crude inventories, but global markets remained tense amid an intensifying political crisis in Venezuela, tightening U.S. sanctions on Iran, and ongoing OPEC supply cuts. GOLD: Gold prices eased on Wednesday on overnight gains in U.S. equities, while a May Day lull gripped most of Asian markets ahead of a closely monitored Federal Reserve decision on the future trajectory of interest rates. The UK blue-chip index closed down 0.3 percent as an unexpected slowdown in China's April factory activity coupled with a firmer pound weighed on the FTSE 100 as miners and exporters weakened, even as Standard Chartered (LON:STAN) surged on buyback plans. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/
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