May 22 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 21
points higher at 7,350 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* BHP: Global miner BHP Group BHPB.L BHP.AX on Wednesday said it plans
to expand its nickel sulphide operations amid an expected boom in demand for the
material in electric vehicle batteries. * ACACIA: Canadian miner Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO said on Tuesday it has
proposed to acquire all of the shares it does not already own in Acacia Mining
Plc ACAA.L through a share-for-share exchange of 0.153 Barrick shares for each
ordinary share of Acacia. * METRO BANK: Metro Bank MTRO.L escaped a potential investor challenge at
its annual meeting on Tuesday, but there were sizeable votes against several of
its most senior directors. * The UK blue chip index closed up 0.25% at 7,328.92 on Tuesday, helped by a
rally in homebuilders amid news of a proposed parliamentary vote on a second
Brexit referendum and gains in Asia-facing stocks after the United States
relaxed restrictions on China's Huawei. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
SSE SSE.L FY Results
Royal Mail RMG.L FY Results
Close Brothers CBRO.L Trading Update
Britvic BVIC.L HY Results
Paragon Banking PAG.L HY Results
IG Group IGG.L Pre-close Trading Update
Pets at Home PETSP.L Preliminary FY Results
Marks & Spencer MKS.L FY Results
Babcock BAB.L FY Results
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines PRESS/GB