Aug 17 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening lower on Thursday, with futures down 0.26%.

* BAE SYSTEMS: British defence group BAE Systems said on Thursday it agreed to buy Ball Corp's aerospace business for about $5.55 billion in cash.

* PAYPAL: Payments giant PayPal will stop allowing UK customers to buy cryptocurrencies through its platform from October as it works to comply with new rules on crypto promotions.

* OIL: Oil prices were choppy on Thursday after falling over the past three sessions, with the undertone grim on worries that slowing growth in China and possible further U.S. interest rate hikes will weaken fuel demand in the world's two biggest economies.

* GOLD: Gold prices touched five-month lows on Thursday, as the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields gained momentum after recent upbeat economic data added weight to expectations that the Federal Reserve would carry on with its policy tightening.

* METALS: Copper prices in London fell to a 11-week low on Thursday, as a firm dollar made greenback-priced metals more expensive to holders of other currencies.

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

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines (Reporting by Zainab Saifee in Bengaluru)