July 6 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Monday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.08%.

* EASYJET: EasyJet EZJ.L said it has reached an agreement in principle with U.S. investment firm Castlelake on a sweetened £6.90-per-share takeover proposal.

* BRIDGEPOINT: Bridgepoint BPTB.L is set to provide the majority of a €200 million funding round for French AI-powered HR management software company Skello, becoming the startup's lead minority shareholder, a source close to the matter said.

* NEXT: Next NXT.L is preparing to launch a takeover bid for luxury department store chain Harvey Nichols, Sky News reported.

* STANDARD CHARTERED: Standard Chartered STAN.L has partnered with BlackRock BLK.N to launch an Asia Pacific multi-asset fund designed for investors seeking broad exposure in the region, the bank said.

* REGULATORY: The Bank of England could give Britain's government bond market a boost this week and lower public borrowing costs by over £1 billion a year, banks say - but some former regulators warn a change in rules to achieve this would increase financial risks.

* OIL: Oil prices inched lower after OPEC+ agreed to further increase its output targets from August while exports from key producers via the Strait of Hormuz are recovering, potentially adding to global supplies.

* GOLD: Gold retreated after touching its highest level in two weeks as the U.S. dollar edged up from recent lows, though easing bets on Federal Reserve interest rate hikes limited bullion's losses.

* METALS: Aluminium prices rose as shrinking inventories in London Metal Exchange-registered warehouses signalled tight near-term supply despite sentiment being boosted by the Middle East peace talks.

* FTSE: Britain's FTSE 100 ended higher on Friday and notched a weekly gain, supported by financials, while higher gold prices lifted precious metals miners.

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

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