Sept 12 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening up 37 points at 7,375 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEX) unveiled a $39-billion takeover approach to the London Stock Exchange Plc (LSE) on Wednesday that received a cool response from investors concerned about its regulatory and financial hurdles.
* HSBC: HSBC is planning to exit its French retail banking business under interim chief executive Noel Quinn, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
* OIL: Oil prices jumped on Thursday, bouncing back from heavy losses in the previous session, buoyed by moves to ease trade tensions between Washington and Beijing and a drop in U.S. crude inventories to the lowest in nearly a year.
* GOLD: Gold prices fell as equities gained on improving risk sentiment buoyed by signs of gradual de-escalation in U.S.-China trade tensions, while investors eyed European Central Bank's meeting for cues on monetary policy easing.
* EX-DIVS: Melrose Industries PLC will trade without entitlement to its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 0.3 points off the FTSE 100 according to Reuters calculations.
* The UK blue chip index on Wednesday closed up 1% at 7338.03 points on signs of less tension in the U.S.-China trade fight and prospects of more stimulus from central banks, while shares in London Stock Exchange scaled a record high after Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing's offer.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Safestore Trading Update IGas Energy Half-year Results Morrisons Half-year Results
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
> Other business headlines (Reporting by Indranil Sarkar in Bengaluru)