(Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen

opening lower on Friday, with futures down 0.15% .

* BP : BP has won its arbitration case against Venture

Global ( VG ) over the U.S. supplier's failure to deliver

liquefied natural gas under a long-term contract, Venture Global ( VG )

said.

* SHELL: The U.S. government has granted an authorization for

Shell and Trinidad and Tobago to develop an offshore

gas field in Venezuela close to the maritime border, Trinidad's

attorney general said.

* ASTRAZENECA ( AZN ): AstraZeneca ( AZN ) broke ground on a new plant

in Virginia and said it would spend $4.5 billion on the

facility.

* FCA: Payouts could start next year for consumers affected by

an estimated 14 million unfair motor finance agreements under an

industry-wide compensation scheme proposed by the UK's Financial

Conduct Authority.

* HIRING: Britain's hiring market remains sluggish and pay is

stagnating with employers worried about possible further tax

increases in finance minister Rachel Reeves' November budget,

according to a survey of recruitment firms.

* OIL: Oil prices declined slightly after settling 1.6% lower in

the previous session as the market's risk premium faded after

Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a plan to end the

war in Gaza.

* METALS: Shanghai copper extended gains, as investors bet on

continued supply shortages amid ongoing disruptions at mines.

* GOLD: Gold held steady and was set for an eighth straight

weekly gain, buoyed by lingering geopolitical and economic

tensions and increased expectations of further U.S. rate cuts.

* FTSE: London's FTSE 100 fell 0.4% from the previous session's

record high on Thursday, as a decline in the shares of HSBC

weighed on the banking sector.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Hays HAYS.L Q1 Trading

Update

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please

click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines

(Compiled by Simone Lobo in Bengaluru)