(Adds company news items, futures)
July 19 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 32
points higher at 7,525 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with
futures FFIc1 up 0.44% ahead of the cash market open.
* ASTON MARTIN: The biggest investor in Aston Martin AML.L offered on
Friday to buy another 3% stake in the luxury carmaker, whose shares have slumped
since listing last year.
* BARRICK GOLD: The world's second-biggest gold miner Barrick Gold Corp
ABX.TO has agreed a deal to buy Tanzania-focussed Acacia Mining ACAA.L that
values the firm at 951 million pounds, Acacia said on Friday. * SSP: British travel-food company SSP Group Plc SSPG.L reported higher
quarterly revenue on Friday but said some of its airports in North America were
hit by the grounding of Boeing BA.N 737 MAX aircraft and the transfer of
passengers away from its terminals. * CLOSE BROTHERS: British merchant bank Close Brothers Group Plc CBRO.L on
Friday reported a 5.1% rise in loan book this year on the back of strong lending
in its banking division, but flagged low trading volumes at its market maker
unit.
* ULTRA ELECTRONICS: ERAPSCO, a joint venture between Sparton Corp and a
subsidiary of Ultra Electronics ULE.L , was awarded a $1.041 billion U.S.
defense contract on Thursday to produce air-launched, expendable sonobuoys used
in anti-submarine warfare, the Pentagon said. * OIL: Oil prices climbed around 2% on Friday after the U.S. Navy destroyed
an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz, a major chokepoint for global crude
flows, again raising tensions in the Middle East. * GOLD: Gold prices on Friday surpassed the key $1,450 level for the first
time since May 2013, after comments from a top Federal Reserve official
bolstered expectations of an interest rate cut, while fresh tensions in the
Middle East further supported bullion. * The UK blue chip index closed 0.5% lower on Thursday as initial batches of
corporate earnings jangled nerves over global growth, while losses for London's
mid-cap index were capped by a buyout of pub operator Ei Group. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
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