June 20 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is

seen opening higher on Thursday, with futures up 0.20%.

* NATWEST ( NWG ): NatWest ( NWG ) has struck a deal to acquire most

of the banking business of UK retailer Sainsbury's ( JSNSF ), the

companies said on Thursday, in a deal set to grow the British

lender's assets by 2.5 billion pounds ($3.18 billion).

* TATE & LYLE ( TATYF ): British food ingredients maker Tate & Lyle ( TATYF )

has entered into an agreement to buy U.S.-based CP

Kelco for $1.8 billion from J.M. Huber Corporation, the company

said.

* ENERGEAN ( EERGF ): Energean ( EERGF ) has agreed to sell its assets

in Egypt, Italy and Croatia to private equity fund Carlyle

for up to $945 million, the Mediterranean-focused oil and

gas producer said.

* CMC Markets ( CCMMF ): Britain's CMC Markets ( CCMMF ) posted a

52% jump in its annual adjusted pre-tax profit, underpinned by

strong performance in retail and institutional segments along

with cost-cutting measures.

* ELECTION: Election pledges by Britain's governing

Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party do not set out how

they plan to meet a 38 billion pound ($48 billion) funding

shortfall in the National Health Service (NHS) in England, a

report said.

* GOLD: Gold prices climbed to their highest level in a week

as softer U.S. economic data increased the likelihood of

interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

* METALS: Copper prices rose on China's central bank's

reinforcement of its easing monetary policy stance, better

end-user demand following recent price drops, and supply

concerns.

* EX-DIVS: British Land ( BRLAF ), Experian ( EXPGF ),

Persimmon, Airtel Africa ( AAFRF ) will trade without

entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, along

with United Utilities, 3i Group ( TGOPF ), Tate & Lyle

and Mitie Group ( MITFF ) .

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please

click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

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($1 = 0.7870 pounds)

(Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar and DhanushVignesh Babu in

Bengaluru)