UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Friday, Oct. 5

* Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 17 to 29points, or as much as 0.3 percent, higher on Friday, accordingto financial bookmakers. For more on the factors affectingEuropean stocks, please click on

* The UK blue chip index closed flat at 5,827.78 points onThursday, shrugging off an expected decision by the Bank ofEngland to leave monetary policy unchanged, but failing to holdon to a one-week intra-day high of 5,854.16 points.

* Focus will be on monthly U.S. payrolls data, due at 1230GMT, after recent indicators suggested the economy was pickingup traction again, although it appears still stuck in a slowrecovery. Jobs likely increased by 113,000 last month but thejobless rate likely ticked up to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent inAugust.

* RENTOKIL - The British cleaning-to-pest controlfirm rose on Thursday on various rumours ranging from a 2.63billion pounds, or 145 pence-per-share, private equity bid andthat the company might sell Citilink, its private postalbusiness, according to various newspaper market reports.

* BAE SYSTEMS - EADS and BAE Systems haveedged closer towards winning political backing for a $45 billionmerger amid positive signals from Britain and France, but Germanmisgivings over control remain a major hurdle, sources close tothe talks said.��

* Copper edged up in line with a firmer euro, althoughvolumes were low with top consumer China on a week-long holiday.

* Brent futures slipped below $112 per barrel, but were oncourse to end a choppy week nearly flat as rising tensions inthe Middle East battle with perennial worries about the globaleconomy and oil demand.

* UK CORPORATE DIARY: JOHN WOOD GROUP issues a trading update.

HENDERSON SMALLER CO INV TRUST holds its annualgeneral meeting.

KCOM GROUP issues a trading update. ST IVES issues a trading update. TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines

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(Reporting by Atul Prakash)

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Keywords: MARKETS BRITAIN FACTORS