UK Stocks-Factors to watch on February 5

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.3%.

RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.L and Glencore GLEN.L are expected to announce an extension to merger talks ahead of a UK regulatory deadline, three people familiar with the talks said.

Rio Tinto is pushing for its chair and CEO to retain their roles, while Glencore is holding out for a hefty premium, the Financial Times reported.

HIKMA PHARMACEUTICALS: Brookfield Private Capital said it does not intend to make an offer for Britain's Hikma Pharmaceuticals HIK.L.

INTEREST RATES: The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold on Thursday and leave its options open about when it will cut them again.

OIL: Oil prices fell about 2% after the U.S. and Iran agreed to hold talks in Oman, easing concerns that a potential military conflict between them could disrupt supply from the key Middle East-producing region.

METALS: Copper fell as demand worries simmered around rising stock levels in the warehouses registered with the London Metal Exchange.

GOLD: Gold climbed over 1%, hovering near one-week highs, as geopolitical and economic tensions continued to bolster prices.

FTSE: The UK's FTSE 100 closed at a record high on Wednesday, boosted by healthcare stocks led by drugmaker GSK GSK.L after upbeat quarterly earnings.

UK CORPORATE DIARY:

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