News: RIO UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Dec. 20

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Monday, with futures FFIc1 down 1.43%.

• RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.L (RIO) tapped Canada's outgoing ambassador to China as its chairman, hoping the veteran consultant's links to its biggest market will help the global miner as it looks to move on from the scandal over its destruction of ancient rock shelters in Australia.
• GLAXOSMITHKLINE: British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc GSK.L has picked Dave Lewis, former chief executive of Tesco Plc TSCO.L , to chair its consumer healthcare unit, which is due to be spun off next year, a source familiar with the matter said.
• COVID-19: Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is one of 10 cabinet ministers who are resisting the introduction of new restrictions before Christmas to curb the spread of the Omicron variant by casting doubts on the accuracy of official modelling, the Times reported.
• ASTRAZENECA: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved AstraZeneca AZN.L and Amgen's AMGN.O drug, Tezspire, to treat severe asthma for those aged 12 years and older, the companies said.
• GOLD: Gold prices edged higher, hovering near a three-week high hit in the previous session, as fears over the rapidly spreading Omicron coronavirus variant boosted the metal's safe-haven appeal.
• OIL: Oil prices slumped by more than 2% as surging cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Europe and the United States stoked investor worries that new restrictions on businesses to combat its spread may hit fuel demand.

• UK's exporter-heavy FTSE 100 ended higher on Friday, helped by a weaker pound, but posted a weekly loss as concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant and inflationary risks weighed.
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