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Jan 15 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index .FTSE is seen opening up 14 points, or 0.2 percent, on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 down 0.2 percent by 0746 GMT ahead of the cash market open. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on The UK blue chip index closed 42.74 points lower on Thursday at 5,918.23, hit by falls in downgraded travel and leisure stocks. BHP BILLITON: Global miner BHP Billiton (L:BLT) said on Friday it will write down the value its U.S. shale assets by $7.2 billion on a bleak outlook for oil and gas prices, cementing expectations it will be forced to cut its dividend for the first time in over 25 years. BT GROUP: British competition authorities cleared BT Group's BT.L 12.5 billion pound acquisition of mobile operator EE on Friday, saying it would not substantially lesson competition in the broadband, fixed and mobile markets. SHELL/BG: Royal Dutch Shell's RDSa.L top executive planning the integration of BG Group BG.L will become transitional CEO of BG after expected completion of the $48 billion acquisition next month, company sources said. SABMILLER: Philippine conglomerate San Miguel Corp SMC.PS will partner with Japan's Kirin Holdings Co Ltd 2503.T if it bids for SABMiller PLC's SAB.L Grolsch and Peroni beer brands, its President Ramon Ang said on Friday. SANTANDER UK/ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND: Santander UK Plc SANS_p.L SAN.MC is readying a fresh bid for more than 300 Royal Bank of Scotland RBS.L branches, Sky News reported on Thursday. IAG/ LATAM AIRLINES: Chile-headquartered LATAM Airlines LAN.SN said on Thursday that it has inked separate business agreements to deepen its ties with American Airlines Group Inc AAL.O and IAG's ICAG.L British Airlines and Iberia, members of the Oneworld Alliance. HSBC: HSBC Holdings HSBA.L wants to prevent the publication of a report on its methods to comply with U.S. money-laundering rules imposed in 2012, saying that the report could leave it vulnerable to money laundering, the Guardian reported. IG GROUP: Broker and betting firm IG Group Holdings IGG.L said it had named Mark Ward as its interim chief financial officer. EXPERIAN: Credit data company Experian Plc EXPN.L reported a 6 percent rise in third-quarter revenue at unchanged exchange rates, even though it expects full-year profit to take a hit from foreign currency moves. CLYDESDALE BANK: Britain's Clydesdale Bank IPO-CLBP.L said on Friday that trading in the three months to December was in line with expectations, with asset quality remaining strong as it readies to float in London and Australia next month. CRUDE: U.S. crude oil futures fell in Asian trade on Friday, heading lower after posting the first significant gains for 2016 in the previous session, as the prospect of additional Iranian supply looms over the market. UK PAPERS
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