May 13 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening higher on Wednesday, with futures FFIc1 up 0.6%.
* RIO TINTO: The Rio Tinto RIO.L-backed Arctial aluminium smelter in Finland, which could help to boost capacity in Europe, is targeting first hot metal production in the second half of 2029, Arctial chief commercial officer Maxime Vandersmissen said.
* OIL: Oil prices fell as investors awaited developments around the fragile Middle East ceasefire and braced for a high-stakes summit in China between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.
* METALS: Copper advanced to a three-month high as investors continued to buy into supply concerns, though uncertainties in the Middle East keep oil prices high, and higher-than-expected U.S. inflation dimmed hopes for any near-term easing in interest rates.
* GOLD: Gold prices edged lower as uncertainty in the Middle East and stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation data dimmed hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts.
* FTSE: British mid-caps slumped on Tuesday, as investors were rattled by the uncertainty surrounding Prime Minister Keir Starmer's future, while renewed concerns about the war in the Middle East exacerbated inflation worries.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
TP ICAP
TCAPI.L
Q1 AGM trading update
Conduit Holdings
CRE.L
Q1 trading statement
Spirax Group
SPX.L
AGM trading update
Vertu Motors
VTU.L
FY results
Avon Technologies
AVON.L
HY results
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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(Compiled by Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)
((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))