News: RIO UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Oct 27

Oct 27 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 5 points higher at 7,491.5, according to financial spreadbetters.

• AIR BERLIN: Air Berlin AB1.DE is aiming for a deal with either Thomas Cook's Condor TCG.L or easyJet EZJ.L on Friday for some of its remaining airline operations, it said on Thursday after agreeing to sell its maintenance unit to a consortium.
• RBS: Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc RBS.L agreed to pay more than $44 million and enter a non-prosecution agreement to settle a U.S. Department of Justice criminal probe of traders accused of defrauding customers on bond prices.
• VEDANTA: Indian resources conglomerates Adani and Vedanta are considering bidding for a $9 billion diamond project in the country that was abandoned by global miner Rio Tinto (RIO) RIO.L this year, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.
• BOE: The Bank of England and the insurers it regulates must find common ground over proposed tweaks to European Union rules so that the 1.9 trillion pound ($2.5 trillion) sector stays competitive after Brexit, a panel of UK lawmakers said in a report on Friday.
• UK HOME PRICES: Public confidence in the outlook for British house prices has dropped to its lowest in nearly five years, weighed by pessimism about the economy rather than the prospect of higher interest rates, a survey showed on Friday.
• GOLD: Gold prices drifted in a narrow range on Friday after hitting a near three-week low in early trade as the dollar gained against the euro after the European Central Bank extended its bond buying programme. Spot gold XAU= was roughly unchanged at $1,267 per ounce as of 0253 GMT after touching its lowest since Oct. 6 at $1265.08.
• OIL: Oil prices inched higher on Friday, with Brent crude approaching $60 a barrel amid tightening market expectations, buoyed by comments from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince backing the extension of OPEC-led output cuts. International benchmark Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 10 cents, or 0.17 percent, at $59.40 a barrel at 0210 GMT.
• Strong commodities stocks and a weaker pound helped Britain's top share index recover from three-week lows on Thursday, though Barclays fell sharply after its third quarter update. The FTSE 100 .FTSE closed up 0.5 percent, its best day in a week as dollar-earning stocks got a boost from a falling pound after the worst plunge in retail sales since 2008.
• For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
• UK CORPORATE DIARY: Rambler Metals and RMM.L Full Year 2017 Rambler Metals and Mining Mining PLC PLC Earnings Release Blackrock Smaller BRSC.L Half Year 2018 Blackrock Smaller Companies Companies Trust PLC Trust PLC Earnings Release Shire PLC SHP.L Q3 2017 Shire PLC Earnings Release Northamber PLC NAR.L Full Year 2017 Northamber PLC Earnings

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  Release Royal Bank of RBS.L Q3 2017 Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC Scotland Group PLC Interim Management Statement Release International ICAG.L Q3 2017 International Consolidated Airlines Consolidated Airlines Group SA Earnings Release Group SA