Oct 3 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is

seen opening lower, with futures down 0.49%.

* BANKS: Britain is giving banks enhanced new powers to

delay and investigate suspicious payments in a bid to slash the

estimated 460 million pounds ($610 million) lost to fraud in the

last year.

* BRITISH LAND ( BRLAF ): Property firm British Land Co Plc ( BRLAF )

said on Wednesday it has acquired a portfolio of seven retail

parks from Brookfield Asset Management ( BAM ) for 441 million

pounds ($585.34 million), increasing its position in the retail

park market.

* LSEG: Users of LSEG's news and data Workspace

terminal reported outages across the globe on Wednesday, less

than one hour after trading started on Wall Street.

* GOLD: Gold prices were trading in a tight range on

Thursday as traders remained on the sidelines ahead of a key

U.S. economic data that may provide clues about the size of the

Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts expected later this year.

* OIL: Oil prices rose on Thursday as the prospect of a

widening Middle East conflict that could disrupt crude oil flows

from the key exporting region overshadowed a stronger global

supply outlook.

* EX-DIVS: Centrica ( CPYYF ), F&C Investment Trust ( FLIVF ),

Phoenix Group ( PNXGF ), Smith & Nephew, Hargreaves

Lansdown, Weir Group ( WEIGF ) will trade without

entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday.

* The UK's benchmark FTSE 100 stock index edged higher on

Wednesday, led by energy shares as oil prices jumped on concerns

about tensions in the Middle East, though investors were

cautious as they assessed the risk of escalating conflict.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Boohoo HY results

Tesco ( TSCDF ) HY results

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please

click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines

(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru)