March 5 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 27points higher on Monday, according to financial bookmakers.
* ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND:
Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland RBS.L could reach a multi billion-dollarsettlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) over its mis-selling oftoxic mortgage-backed securities within weeks, Sky News reported on Friday,citing sources. RBS declined to comment. of Appeal judges rejected claims by Property Alliance Group againstRoyal Bank of Scotland Group which claimed that the bank mis-sold interest rateswaps as part of the Libor scandal, The Times reported on Monday. WM MORRISON SUPERMARKETS: WM Morrison MRW.L faces an equal paycompensation claim of 100 million pounds ($137.86 million) from many of itsstaff, The Times reported on Monday. MELROSE: The founders of Melrose Industries Plc MRON.L are investing inStirling Industries, a company that looks to float on the London stock marketthis week, Sky News reported on Sunday. OIL: Oil prices rose early on Monday ahead of a meeting between OPEC andU.S. shale firms in Houston, raising expectations that oil producers woulddiscuss further how to clear a global oil glut. COPPER: London copper climbed on Monday away from its lowest in afortnight, as attention shifted to upbeat comments at China's annual opening toparliament on economic growth and reform. GOLD: Gold prices rose on Monday as the dollar remained subdued on fearsof a global trade war, with uncertainty surrounding the outcome of elections inItaly, which could spell new concerns for the euro zone, lending further supportto the yellow metal. The UK blue chip index closed 1.5 percent lower at 7,069.90 points onFriday, at its lowest since December 2016, unnerved by President Donald Trump'spromise to tax aluminium and steel imports. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
* UK CORPORATE DIARY: Ultra Electronics ULE.L Full Year 2017 Earnings
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
PRESS/FT
> Other business headlines
PRESS/GB Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for:
* 3000 Xtra
: visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com
* For Top News : http://topnews.reuters.com($1 = 0.7254 pounds)