May 29 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 34
points lower at 7,235 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
* HSBC: HSBC Holdings PLC HSBA.L plans to boost its Asia retail wealth
management staff by about 300 by end of this year, with Europe's biggest lender
by assets sharpening its focus on Singapore to add to its presence in core
markets of Hong Kong and China. * GOLD: Gold prices steadied on Wednesday, as global economic concerns
dented risk appetite but a strong dollar capped gains as it competed to get
preference over bullion as a safe-haven bet. * OIL: Oil prices fell on Wednesday on concerns the Sino-U.S. trade war
could trigger a global economic downturn, but relatively tight supply amid OPEC
output cuts and political tensions in the Middle East offered some support.
* The UK blue chip index closed was 0.1% lower as a drop in blue-chip
tobacco stocks after a report showing declining cigarette volumes and losses in
pharmaceutical giants was enough to offset gains in mining heavyweights and push
London's main stock index into the red on Tuesday. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Biome Technologies PLC BIOM.L Half Year 2019 Earnings
Caledonia Investments PLC CLDN.L Full Year 2018 Earnings
AVEVA Group PLC AVV.L Full Year 2019 Earnings
Telford Homes PLC TELF.L Full Year 2019 Earnings
Capri Holdings Ltd CPRI.N Q4 2019 Earnings
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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> Other business headlines PRESS/GB