Aug 30 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is expected to open lower, according to financial bookmakers.
* The UK blue chip index closed up 21.15 points, or 0.3 percent on Friday at 6,838.05, after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated that a U.S. interest rate rise could come later this year, a relief for investors after last week's hawkish comments from some Fed policymakers. BHP BILLITON: The deadly collapse of a tailings dam last November at the Samarco mine, owned by Vale SA VALE5.SA and BHP Billiton BLT.L , was caused by drainage and design flaws, a report into Brazil's worst-ever environmental disaster showed on Monday. SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell Plc's RDSa.L North Sea assets that are being sold have attracted bidders such as Carlyle Group-funded Neptune and Siccar Point Energy. The companies are looking at a package of the assets offered by Shell as a part of the $30 billion disposal programme, the Financial Times reported. http://on.ft.com/2c3O5wx
Separately, Shell said it has agreed to sell certain assets in the Gulf of Mexico to independent oil and gas company EnVen Energy Corp for $425 million, plus royalty interests. BREXIT: British Prime Minister Theresa May will not hold a parliamentary vote on Brexit before formally triggering Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday, without specifying sources. COPPER: London copper edged up from a nine-week low on Tuesday after falling for the last six sessions in a row, as the market waits on U.S. non-farm payrolls data later this week for further clues on the timing of any U.S. rate hike. OIL: Oil futures edged up on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar erased earlier gains, but doubts that producers would be able to agree to an output freeze continued to drag on prices. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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