** Online money transfer co Optimal Payments upmore than 7 pct after UK's financial watchdog gives its go-aheadfor co's acquisition of European digital payments businessSkrill.
** Best day for the stock in a month with half its 30 dayaverage volume traded in the first hour
** Co says in a statement on Monday that it expects the dealto close on Aug. 10.
** Co said in March that it would buy the maker of theSkrill e-wallet, the biggest competitor to its e-wallet businessNeteller, for an enterprise value of about 1.1 blneuros
** Co said then that the deal would expand its onlinepayment and digital wallet services and reduce dependence on afew large customers, including its biggest in the gaming market
** Numis analysts view deal as "transformational", addingthat Optimal now has all the components in place to perform wellBroker reiterates "buy," TP 450p (Reuters Messaging:noor.hussain.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)
