News: RIO UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Nov 18

(Adds news items, futures)

Nov 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 2 points higher at 7,305 on Monday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 trading 0.14% higher.

• SAGE GROUP: British software company Sage Group Plc SGE.L said on Monday it will sell its payment processing unit Sage Pay for about 232 million pounds ($296.87 million) to Elavon, a payments company and unit of U.S. Bancorp USB.N .
• GULF KEYSTONE: Iraqi Kurdistan-focused oil producer Gulf Keystone Petroleum GKP.L said on Monday it appointed Ian Weatherdon as chief financial officer to succeed Sami Zouari, who will step down on Dec. 2.
• IQE: Cardiff-based IQE Plc IQE.L said on Monday it expects to report a 'mid-single digit' adjusted operating loss as it downgraded its revenue outlook for the year due to issues with two of its major customers.
• CONSORT MEDICAL: Consort Medical Plc CSRT.L on Monday said Sweden's Recipharm AB RECIb.ST would buy the London-listed healthcare company for 1,010 pence per share in cash.
• SHELL: A crude oil spill onto a barge docked at Royal Dutch Shell's RDSa.L oil refinery at Puget Sound, Washington, late on Friday was contained on Saturday, the company said in a statement.
• ROLLS-ROYCE: Air New Zealand Ltd (AIR) said on Monday about 14,000 customers would be affected by cancellations this summer because of ongoing Rolls-Royce RR.L engine checks on its Boeing BA.N 787-9 aircraft.

• RIO TINTO: Australia's Alderan Resources (AL8) said on Monday that its unit had partnered with Kennecott Exploration Company, a member company of the Rio Tinto Group (RIO) , to help fund the Alderan's Frisco Project in Utah, United States.
• SAVANNAH PETROLEUM: Savannah Petroleum SAVP.L has concluded its purchase of Nigerian oil and gas company Seven Energy International, it said in a statement on Friday.
• GOLD: Gold prices eased on Monday as optimism grew about U.S.-China trade ties following a report of "constructive talks" over the weekend, while losses were capped by a softer dollar.
• OIL: Oil prices were little changed on Monday following steady gains in the previous week with investors awaiting fresh clues over prospects for a trade deal between the United States and China, shrugging off concerns over steadily rising oil supplies.
• The UK blue chip index closed 0.1% higher and the mid-cap outperformed its European counterparts on Friday after the Brexit Party lent further clarity ahead of the Dec. 12 election, while hopes that a U.S.-China may be imminent helped the FTSE 100 eke out gains.

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