UK Stocks-Factors to watch on May 20

May 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Tuesday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.48%.

CHESNARA: Britain's Chesnara CSN.L is exploring a potential acquisition of HSBC Holdings' HSBA.L life insurance business in the UK, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

RIO TINTO: Chile's Codelco will partner with global mining giant Rio Tinto RIO.AX for its new Maricunga lithium project, the state miner said on Monday, bringing a major new player into the sector in the world's second-largest producer of the EV battery metal.

OIL: Oil prices barely moved on Tuesday as traders weighed the impact on supply from a possible breakdown in U.S.-Iran talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, strong front-month physical demand in Asia and a cautious outlook for China's macroeconomy.

GOLD: Gold prices eased on Tuesday, as a slightly firmer dollar and optimism over a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine dampened investor demand for safe-haven assets.

METALS: Copper prices in London were slightly lower on Tuesday amid fading enthusiasm over the 90-day tariff truce between the U.S. and China, the top consumer of the metal.

London stocks ended at a seven-week high on Monday as the UK struck a wide-ranging deal with the European Union in the most significant reset of ties since Brexit, while a Moody's downgrade of U.S. sovereign credit rating reverberated across global markets.

UK CORPORATE DIARY:

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