(Updates futures, adds company news)
LONDON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 214 points lower, or down 3.5 percent, on Monday, according to financial spreadbetter IG. Futures FFIc1 were down 3.4 percent ahead of the cash market open. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on ID:L5N10Z0CC
* The UK blue-chip index marked its biggest weekly loss of the year on Friday after data from China raised investors' concerns over weak global growth and possible deflation. It closed down 2.8 percent at 6,187.65 points, a fall broadly in line with European blue-chip equities. ID:nL5N10W2Z2
* Britain's economy will grow more strongly than previously thought this year and in 2016, an industry group said on Monday, as it also brought forward its prediction for the timing of Britain's first rate hike in over seven years. ID:nU8N0YV00U
* More than 40 economists on Sunday backed Labour lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn's policies, boosting the leftwinger's campaign to lead Britain's opposition party, after opponents said his "extreme" views would make it unelectable. ID:nL5N10Y0K4
* LLOYDS LLOY.L - Britain's government has reduced its holding in Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L to below 13 percent, taking the bank closer to full privatisation after needing a state rescue in the 2008/09 financial crisis. ID:nL5N10Z0IH
* RIO TINTO RIO.L - The mining giant expects to deliver 240 million tonnes of iron ore to China this year, up from 200 million tonnes in 2014, the company's China managing director told reporters on Friday. ID:nL4N10Y0RO
* BP BP.L - Increased activity pointing to a possible restart was seen on Sunday afternoon around the large crude distillation unit that has been shut since Aug. 8 at BP Plc's 413,500 barrel per day (bpd) Whiting, Indiana, refinery, said energy industry intelligence service Genscape. ID:nL1N10Y0NG
A BP-led consortium has resumed production at its Azeri gas field Shakh-Deniz after a 20-day maintenance, a spokeswoman for BP Azerbaijan said on Monday. ID:nR4N10M010
* BT BT.L - BT Group Plc's Americas unit president has called on the United States to require that telecoms rivals allow access to their networks at regulated prices, the Financial Times reported Sunday. ID:nL1N10Y0EI
* ITV ITV.L , UTV MEDIA UTV.L - Northern Ireland's UTV Media Plc , one of only two remaining independent regional broadcasters in the ITV network, is in talks to sell its TV franchise to the dominant ITV Plc, according to reports. ID:nL4N10Z2QZ
* AVOCET MINING AVM.L - Avocet Mining Plc cut its production forecast for 2015 as the gold miner grappled with a strike at its mine in Burkina Faso. ID:nL4N10Z2UV
* GAMBLING FIRMS - British online gambling firms GVC Holdings Plc GVC.L and Bwin.party Digital Entertainment Plc BPTY.L said on Monday that they continued to be in talks regarding the terms of GVC's offer for Bwin. ID:nL4N10Z2T3
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
BNZL.L Bunzl (LONDON:BNZL) PLC
Earnings Releases HEAD.L Headlam Group PLC
Earnings Releases AML.L Amlin PLC
Earnings Releases
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