* IAG: Iberia-owner International Airlines Group has agreed to pay 400 million euros ($423.84 million) to Spain's Globalia for the remaining 80% of airline Air Europa it did not already own, the company said in a statement on Thursday.
* ECONOMY: Britons may face shortages of salad staples, including tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, for up to another month, the government said on Thursday.
* AUTOS: Britain's auto industry said on Friday it was looking to the upcoming budget to help boost competitiveness and investment in the sector in light of "increasing protectionism" that could hurt the UK economy.
* GOLD: Gold prices rose on Friday as the dollar weakened, though investor worries that recent economic data could lead the U.S. Federal Reserve to keep raising interest rates capped gains.
* OIL: Oil prices extended gains for a second session on Friday as the prospect of lower exports from Russia offset rising inventories in the United States.
* The FTSE 100 ended lower on Thursday, as several banking and healthcare heavyweights traded ex-dividend, although shares of Rolls-Royce zoomed more than 20% after the aeroplane engine maker reported upbeat results.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Jupiter FY Results
IAG FY Results
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines (Reporting by Muhammed Husain in Bengaluru)
