July 31 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening higher on Friday, with futures up 0.5%.

* HSBC ( HSBC ): HSBC ( HSBC ), is selling its A$36 billion Australian home and personal loan book to global asset manager Blackstone, in the world's largest-ever home loan portfolio transaction.

* IG GROUP ( IGGRF ): IG Group ( IGGRF ) said it has agreed to acquire U.S. daily fantasy sports and prediction markets operator Underdog for up to $1.3 billion, deepening its push into the fast-growing U.S. retail trading market.

* BUSINESS SENTIMENT: British businesses turned more confident about the economic outlook earlier this month, reflecting a brief fall in energy prices after a ceasefire in the Iran war, a survey by Lloyds showed.

* COMMODITIES: Oil and gold prices fell, while copper prices firmed.

* FTSE: London's FTSE 100 closed slightly lower on Thursday after the Bank of England decided to keep interest rates on hold and mixed earnings reports weighed on the blue-chip index.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

IAG Q2 Results

NatWest ( NWG ) HY Results

Taylor Wimpey HY Results

Pearson HY Results

ITV HY Results

Melrose HY Results

Spire Healthcare HY Results

Intertek ( IKTSF ) HY Results

Rightmove ( RTMVF ) HY Results

IMI HY Results

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

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(Compiled by Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)