Dec 7 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open lower on Thursday, with futures down 0.56%.

* FRASERS GROUP: Frasers, the British sportswear and apparel retailer controlled by Mike Ashley, said it was on track to achieve full-year profit guidance after a 12.6% rise in the first half that reflected the success of its plan to take the group upmarket.

* DS SMITH: DS Smith said its CEO Miles Roberts will retire after 13 years with the British cardboard maker, and will step down no later than Nov. 30, 2025.

* SMART METERING SYSTEMS: British energy infrastructure firm Smart Metering Systems said a company owned by funds advised by KKR and its

affiliates will take it private

in an all-cash deal of about 1.3 billion pounds ($1.63 billion).

* BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING: Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury Publishing forecast full-year profit and revenue ahead of market view, buoyed by strong demand for its consumer division.

* ENQUEST: British North Sea-focused oil producer EnQuest appointed Jonathan Copus as its finance chief to succeed Salman Malik, who will become the CEO of its unit Veri Energy.

* HOUSE PRICE: British house prices

rose 0.5% in November

, their second monthly rise in a row, after a 1.2% increase in October, mortgage lender Halifax said.

* METALS: London

copper prices rose slightly

as some traders and investors closed their short positions on caution ahead of the release of key payrolls data in the United States.

* OIL: Oil prices reclaimed some ground after tumbling to a six-month low in the previous session but investors remained concerned about sluggish demand and economic slowdowns in the U.S. and China.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines ($1 = 0.7963 pounds) (Reporting by Zainab Saifuddin Saifee in Bengaluru)