UK Stocks-Factors to watch on March 5

March 5 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening down 4 points on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures seen up 0.53% ahead of cash markets open.

* RIO TINTO: Investors in Rio Tinto Ltd RIO.AX have renewed efforts to force the world's biggest iron ore miner to commit to targets that would scale back emissions of its customers in line with the Paris Agreement on combating climate change. FLYBE: British regional airline Flybe said on Thursday it had entered into administration, as the already struggling carrier failed to withstand the plunge in travel demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak. TESCO: Britain's biggest supermarket group, Tesco TSCO.L , will start price matching Aldi on hundreds of everyday items, firing the latest salvo in its fight to stem the market share gains of its rival. INVESTMENT ASSOCIATION: Britain's investment industry trade body has warned companies ahead of their 2020 annual general meetings that they must disclose more about how they are handling climate change risk. GOLD: Gold edged up on Thursday on safe-haven buying fuelled by worries about the fast-spreading coronavirus, but a rise in equity markets limited bullion's gains. OIL: Oil prices rose more than 1% on Thursday ahead of an OPEC meeting in which Saudi Arabia is expected to push the group and its allies including Russia to agree to further output cuts to support the market. EX-DIVS: BHP Group BHPB.L , Evraz EVRE.L , Persimmon PSN.L , Rio Tinto RIO.L , RSA Insurance Group SA.L , Standard Chartered STAN.L will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 16.5 points off the FTSE 100 .FTSE , according to Reuters calculations.

* The UK blue-chip index .FTSE closed up 1.5% on Wednesday as investors bet on possible rate cuts in Europe after the U.S. Federal Reserve's emergency move to protect the U.S. economy from the impact of the coronavirus on Tuesday. UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Redde

REDD.L

Q3 2020 Trading Statement Northgate

Release Gresham House

GHE.L

Full Year 2019 Earnings Release Arcontech

ARC.L

Half Year 2020 Earnings Release Group

NMC Health

NMC.L

Q4 2019 Earnings Release Network

NETW.L