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June 3 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 29 points, or 0.5 percent, on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 0.44 percent ahead of the cash market open. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on ID:nL8N18V0GL
* The UK blue chip index closed slightly lower on Thursday, with companies such as National Grid NG.L and Marks & Spencer MKS.L falling after trading without the attraction of their latest dividend payouts and energy firms tracking weaker oil prices. GLENCORE: Trading giant Glencore Plc GLEN.L is expanding its oil trading business in eastern Australia, with plans to soon start bunker fuel supply operations at the Port of Brisbane, adding to operations it launched at ports in New South Wales in April. BP: BP Plc BP.L agreed on Thursday to pay $175 million to shareholders who brought a class-action lawsuit that accused the oil company of misleading them by understating the severity of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BHS: British department stores group BHS is to be wound down after administrators failed to find a buyer for the 88-year-old chain, threatening over 10,000 jobs and creating huge vacant sites in town centres struggling to cope with changing shopping habits. ICAP: The planned discontinuation of a U.S. interest rate benchmark this summer will be postponed for another two months after two financial industry groups asked for more time for Wall Street to adjust to its replacement. EQUISTONE: British private equity firm Equistone Partners is buying marine navigation service ChartCo from fellow fund ECI for 55 million pounds ($79.43 million), the companies said on Friday. BREXIT: Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday he would take Britain into the European Union under the "special status" it now enjoys if it was not already a member, pressing his campaign to remain in the bloc in a live television performance. BRENT CRUDE: Brent oil prices held around $50 a barrel on Friday following an OPEC meeting that failed to agree on output targets, but which was seen as supportive as Saudi Arabia pledged not to flood the market with more fuel. COPPER: London copper was little changed on Friday, but heading for a 2 percent weekly drop as a stronger dollar and ebbing seasonal demand from top consumer China undermined prices. UK PAPERS
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