(Adds company news items and futures)
Jan 18 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening up 8 points on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 0.22 percent ahead of the cash market open.
* AB Foods: Primark owner Associated British Foods ABF.L maintained its full-year earnings guidance on Thursday, reporting quarterly revenue growth in all of its businesses apart from sugar. CITYFIBRE-VODAFONE: Fibre broadband provider CityFibre CITYC.L said it had picked the English new town of Milton Keynes to launch its gigabit-capable home fibre network in partnership with Vodafone VOD.L . EXPERIAN: Experian Plc EXPN.L , the world's biggest credit data company, reported a 5 percent rise in third-quarter organic revenue from ongoing activities at constant exchange rates, and said it expects full-year organic revenue growth in the mid-single digits. WHITBREAD: Whitbread Plc WTB.L , Britain's biggest hotel and coffee shop operator, said on Thursday comparable sales rose 0.3 percent in the UK amid tough consumer market conditions. ROYAL MAIL: Britain's Royal Mail RMG.L on Thursday reported a rise in nine-month revenue, helped by higher parcel volumes and strength in its international business. BHP: Global miner BHP BHP.AX BLT.L on Thursday reported a 3 percent rise in second-quarter iron ore production year over year and said it expects to meet its full-year target as prices for the steelmaking ingredient outperform forecasts. WHITBREAD: Activist investor Sachem Head has asked Whitbread WTB.L to consider a break up of its Costa Coffee chain from its hotels and restaurant businesses, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. GSK: GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L is cutting back operations in Africa as its new Chief Executive Emma Walmsley seeks to make the British drugmaker more competitive in emerging markets by ditching her predecessor's expansion plans for the continent. BARCLAYS JOBS: Britain's Barclays BARC.L is to cut 100 senior roles from its investment banking division, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. BRITAIN HOUSEPRICES: A key gauge of British house prices unexpectedly picked up last month from its lowest level in more than four years, helped by a less negative tone in London and neighbouring areas. GKN/MELROSE: Turnaround specialist Melrose MRON.L raised the pressure on GKN GKN.L by turning hostile in its pursuit of the British engineering company, making a firm 7.4 billion pound ($10.2 billion) offer for the business after meeting its shareholders. OIL: Oil prices rose on Thursday on a reported decline in U.S. crude inventories, and as rebels in Nigeria threatened to attack the country's petroleum infrastructure. EX-DIVS: Ashtead AHT.L , Compass Group CPG.L , Micro Focus MCRO.L and SSE Plc SSE.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 3.04 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations. The UK blue chip index closed 0.4 percent lower at 7,725.43 on Wednesday as a flurry of corporate news triggered sharp moves, including for contractor Interserve after the Financial Times reported the British government was monitoring it following the collapse of competitor Carillion. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
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