Adds new items, updates futures

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Friday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.29%.

*ASHMORE: Ashmore ASHM.L posted a 33% drop in half-yearly pre-tax profit on Friday, pressured by lower managed funds as appetite for risk assets waned in its key markets.

*LEGAL & GENERAL: Legal & General LGEN.L said on Friday it would sell its U.S. protection business to Japan's Meiji Yasuda for $2.3 billion in cash.

*HOUSE PRICES: British house prices rose by more than expected in January, according to figures published by mortgage lender Halifax on Friday.

*SERCO GROUP: Serco Group SRP.L said on Thursday it has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence for a 1 billion pound ($1.24 billion) contract to provide recruitment services.

*BoE: The Bank of England cut interest rates by a quarter-point and some policymakers wanted a bigger move to offset a slowdown.

*SAVANNAH RESOURCES: Savannah Resources SAVS.L has suspended prospecting works at some sites of its lithium project in northern Portugal due to a precautionary injunction filed in a court by some landowners.

*OIL: Oil prices rose marginally in early Asian trade on Friday but were on track for a third straight week of decline.

*METALS: Base metals rose on Friday, with London copper set for its best week in more than four months.

*GOLD: Gold prices rose on Friday, hovering near record-high levels and set for a sixth successive weekly gain.

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

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(Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job)

((RaechelThankam.Job@thomsonreuters.com;))