July 12 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seenopening 31 points higher at 7,541 on Friday, according tofinancial bookmakers, with futures up 0.30% ahead of thecash market open.
* WPP: WPP said U.S.-based private equity firm BainCapital would buy a 60% stake in Kantar, valuing the dataanalytics unit at about $4 billion in the proposed deal.
* INTERSERVE: Britain's troubled outsourcer InterserveGroup Ltd said Chairman Glyn Barker will be replaced by hiscounterpart in Safestyle UK Alan Lovell, months afterthe company was placed in administration following a rescueplan.
* HISCOX: British insurer Hiscox Ltd said themarket had continued to deteriorate from last year'scatastrophes such as typhoon Jebi in Japan and hurricane Michaelin Florida, and expected first-half earnings to be between $150million and $170 million.
* JOHN MENZIES: John Menzies Plc said ChairmanDermot Smurfit will step down after the company appointed anaviation services industry expert to the role to help ride outtough times in the sector.
* LOOKERS: Car dealership chain Lookers Plc saidit anticipates full-year underlying pretax profit below itsexpectations as it battled weaker car demand in Britain in Juneand margin pressures.
* EASYJET: Britain's Unite Union said on Thursday Stanstedairport check-in staff at Easyjet Plc will go on strikefor over a fortnight starting in July, as employees demandsimilar pay to other companies that operate at the airport.
* RECKITT BENCKISER: Reckitt Benckiser has agreed topay up to $1.4 billion to resolve U.S. claims that its formerpharmaceuticals business Indivior before it was spun out of thecompany carried out an illegal scheme to boost sales of anopioid addiction treatment.
* THOMAS COOK: China's Fosun Tourism Group is inadvanced talks with Thomas Cook Group Plc and itslenders regarding a combined 750 million pound ($940 million)fund-raising by the world's oldest travel company.
* The UK blue chip index closed 0.3% lower on Thursday, asinvestors sold off healthcare stocks after Washington withdrew arebate rule aimed at lowering drug prices, and a Fed-fuelledrally fizzled out.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, pleaseclick on:
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
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> Other business headlines(Reporting by Samantha Machado And Adil Bhat in Bengaluru;Editing by Arun Koyyur)