May 13 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen...

May 13 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 64 points lower on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.

• RETAIL: British retail spending plunged by nearly a fifth in April as the government's coronavirus lockdown hammered the sector, and a broader measure of consumer spending tumbled by more than a third, surveys showed.
• HOUSING MARKET: Buyers and renters in England will be able to move house again from Wednesday under plans set out by the government to re-start a housing market all but frozen by restrictions put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

• BHP/RIO: BHP Group (BHP) , BHPB.L will stick with its capital allocation framework despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic while Rio Tinto is eyeing M&A, the chief executives of the miners said on Tuesday.
• GOLD: Gold gained as concerns that a second wave of coronavirus infections may be emerging in many countries weighed on riskier assets.
• OIL: Oil prices fell on worries about a possible second wave of coronavirus cases in countries starting to ease lockdowns, while industry data showed a rise in U.S. crude inventories.
• London's FTSE 100 closed higher for the fifth straight session on Tuesday after strong earnings from Vodafone and Morrisons helped outweigh fears of a potential flare-up of COVID-19 cases as countries slowly reopen parts of their economies.
• UK CORPORATE DIARY: Sage Group SGE.L HY 2020 Earnings Release British Land Company BLND.L FY 2020 Earnings Release Spirax-Sarco SPX.L Trading Statement Marston's MARS.L HY Results Stock Spirits STCK.L Interim Statement Aston Martin AML.L Q1 Results TP ICAP TCAPI.L Trading Statement

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