UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on April 5

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April 5 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 98 points higher at 7,132 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures FFIc1 up 1.6 percent ahead of the cash market open.

* HAMMERSON: Britain's Hammerson Plc HMSO.L on Thursday said it did not intend to finalise shareholder documents related to its proposed acquisition of Intu Properties INTUP.L , as it awaits clarity on a bid from France's Klepierre LOIM.PA . RANK GROUP: British casino operator Rank Group Plc RNK.L , whose chief executive Henry Birch resigned last month, said it expects lower profit for the full year as it remained cautious about consumer outlook in the UK. CONTOURGLOBAL: Power generator ContourGlobal GLO.L said its core earnings rose 17 percent in 2017, helped by acquisitions made during the year and a full year of operation of power plants commissioned in 2016. BRITAIN-MOBILE: All four of Britain's mobile networks won more airwaves for 4G and future 5G services in an auction that raised 1.36 billion pounds ($1.9 billion), with Telefonica's TEF.MC O2 securing the most. FIDESSA: British software firm Fidessa Group plc FDSA.L on Thursday said that Ion Investment Group Limited and SS&C Technologies Holdings SSNC.O , have separately submitted offers to buy Fidessa, in response to media reports naming the bidders. FAROE/DNO: Norwegian oil firm DNO DNO.OL , which early on Wednesday bought a 15.4 percent stake in Faroe Petroleum FPM.L , said after market close that it aims to further raise its holdings in the British company to around 25 percent. ANGLO AMERICAN: The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais slapped a 125.6 million real ($37.73 million) fine on Anglo American AAL.L on Wednesday for pollution caused by one of two spills last month from a pipeline that carries iron ore from the company's Minas-Rio mine. VEDANTA: Vedanta Resources VED.L , controlled by billionaire Anil Agarwal, and other miners can transport already mined iron ore from Goa on which royalties have been paid, India's top court ruled on Wednesday, providing relief to the state's miners. BHP: Global miner BHP Billiton BHP.AX , BLT.L said on Thursday it had made a final decision to leave the World Coal Association (WCA) over differences on climate change but would remain a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. BRITAIN AUTOS: British new car registrations fell by around 15.6 percent compared with a year earlier in the important selling month of March, after demand for diesel cars slumped by over a third, according to preliminary industry data released on Thursday. GHANA MINING: Ghana plans to review its process for granting corporate tax exemptions to mining and oil companies as part of measures to eliminate fraud and boost revenues, its vice president said on Wednesday. EX-DIVS: Aviva AV.L , Direct Line DLGD.L , Ferguson FERG.L , Old Mutual OML.L , Pearson PSON.L , St James's Place SJP.L , DS Smith SMDS.L , Smiths Group SMIN.L , Smith & Nephew SN.L and Taylor Wimpey TW.L will trade without entitlement to their latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 8.1 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations The UK blue chip index closed 0.1 percent higher on Wednesday, despite global trade worries denting appetite for risky assets, as investors piled into defensive sectors which make up a large part of the UK index. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets