(Adds futures, news items)
Nov 15 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 37 points higher at 7,330 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 0.4% ahead of the cash market open.
* FIRSTGROUP: Britain's competition watchdog said it could accept undertakings offered by FirstGroup Plc FGP.L and Italy's TrenItalia as it investigates the award of the West Coast Partnership rail franchise to the companies. TALKTALK: British broadband provider TalkTalk TALK.L said it was still in discussions with interested parties regarding its FibreNation business after Britain's opposition Labour Party said it planned to create a "British Broadband" public service. CARPETRIGHT: Britain's Carpetright CPRC.L said it had agreed to be taken over by its largest shareholder Meditor, which values it at 15.2 million pounds ($19.45 million). NSF: British lender Non-Standard Finance NSF.L warned on annual profits and slashed its medium-term targets for loan book growth, highlighting its struggles to make it alone after its failed bid for larger rival Provident Financial PFG.L . DNEG: Special effects film firm DNEG said it had postponed plans for an initial public offering (IPO) in London due to ongoing market uncertainty. RIO TINTO: Rio Tinto RIO.L RIO.AX said it will subscribe to $221 million rights shares of Energy Resources of Australia Ltd (ERA) ERA.AX , which has been desperately seeking funds to close and rehabilitate a controversial uranium mine. BT: Britain's opposition Labour Party said it would unveil plans on Friday to provide free 'full-fibre' broadband across the country by creating a 'British Broadband' public service, formed by bringing parts of telecoms provider BT BT.L back into state ownership. VODAFONE: Telecom Italia TLIT.MI plans to sell a stake in the mobile mast business it is creating in Italy with rival Vodafone VOD.L to infrastructure funds, the Italian group's chief executive said on Thursday. GOLD: Gold prices fell on Friday as risk appetite was whetted by comments from White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow that the United States is nearing an interim trade pact with China. OIL: Oil prices rose on Friday as OPEC's outlook for oil demand next year fuelled hopes that the producer group and its associates will keep a lid on supply when they meet to discuss policy on output next month. The UK blue chip index fell 0.8% on Thursday, underperforming its major global peers and suffering its steepest intra-day drop so far this month as falls in private equity company 3i (LON:III), stocks trading ex-dividend and a stronger pound hammered the exporter-heavy index. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: LIVE/
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