BusinessJeeves United Kingdom (UK): London Stock Exchange (LSE) Analysis and Commentaries Archives

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed lower. Gainers included: Abbey National Plc, Allied Domecq Plc, Amec Plc, Anglo American Plc, Autonomy Corp, BHP Billiton Plc, Bookham Technology, Boots Co. Plc, BP Amoco Plc, Brambles Industries Plc, British American Tobacco Plc, British Biotech Plc, Carlton Communications Plc, Centrica Plc, Daily Mail & General Trust, Drew Scientific Group Plc, Elan Corp, Enterprise Oil, Friends Provident Plc, Gallaher Group Plc, Granada Plc, Hays Plc, HBOS Plc, Hilton Group Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, Imperial Tobacco Plc, Indigovision Group Plc, International Power Plc, Lattice Group Plc, London Stock Exchange (LSE) Plc, Lonmin Plc, Marconi Plc, Marlborough Sterling Plc, Marshalls Plc, MmO2 Plc, MyTravel Group Plc, National Grid Plc, Next Plc, P&O Princess Cruise Plc, Reuters Group Plc, Rio Tinto Plc, RM Plc, Rolls Royce Plc, Royal & Sun Alliance Plc, Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, Safeway Plc, Schroders NV, Scipher Plc, Severn Trent Plc, SMG Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Telewest Communications Plc, Unilever Plc, United Utilities Plc, Vodafone Group Plc, Westbury Plc, and Xansa Plc.

Euro Zone Current Account Surplus in February was 2.1 Billion Euros.
Drew Scientific gained 6.98% after signing a 15-year manufacturing and supply contract with US based Clinical Diagnostic Solutions.
Carlton Communications and Granada both gained as their merger rumours resurfaced again.
Mining shares closed higher due to the rise in gold prices.
Marconi gained 14.77% after the Observer newspaper stated over the weekend that bankers who hold its debts are demanding that company executives either perform or resign. Marconi denied the story today.
Scottish television company, SMG, gained 4.10% on the Carlton/Granada merger rumours, and on a Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein upgrade.
Defensive shares like tobacco gained today too.
Amersham lost 6.12% after reporting fiscal Q1 sales that rose only 5% to £381 million, which missed city estimates.
Allied Domecq gained 3.23% after reporting first half pretax profits that rose 6% to £251 million, as sales rose 16% to £1.7 billion.
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Mobile phone shares rebounded. Orange SA, which was today named by a brokerage house as the best bet among European mobile phone operators, closed unchanged.
Cambridge Antibody lost 2.55% after its bid for Canada's Drug Royalty Corporation expired.
ML Labs lost 9.47% after announcing that it plans to float the contract manufacturing unit of its Cobra Therapeutics subsidiary on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
MyTravel Group, formerly known as Airtours, gained 0.12% after announcing its intention to launch a no-frills airline.
BP Amoco and British American Tobacco closed higher on the eve of their earnings reports.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed lower. Gainers included: Acambis Plc, Affinity Internet Plc, Anglo American Plc, Associated British Foods Plc, Astrazeneca Plc, Axon Group Plc, Azlan Group Plc, Biocompatibles Plc, British American Tobacco Plc, British Land Co. Plc, BskyB Plc, Computacenter Plc, Cordiant Communications, Daily Mail & General Trust, De Vere Group Plc, Domino Printing Plc, Elan Corp, Enterprise Oil, Gallaher Group Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, ICI Plc, Invensys Plc, Isoft Group Plc, Johnston Press Plc, Kingston Communications Plc, KS Biomedix Holdings Plc, Land Securities Plc, LastMinute.Com Plc, Lloyds TSB Group Plc, Marconi Plc, Marlborough Sterling Plc, Meggitt Plc, Morse Plc, Ncipher Plc, Northgate Information Services Plc, Old Mutual Plc, Parity Group Plc, Pearson Plc, Phytopharm Plc, Reed International, RM Plc, SA Breweries Plc, Safeway Plc, Scipher Plc, Scottish & Newcastle Plc, Scottish Power Plc, Severn Trent Plc, Shire Pharmaceuticals Group Plc, Smith & Nephew Plc, Tesco Plc, Torex Plc, TTP Communications Plc, Ultra Electronics Holdings Plc, Unilever Plc, United Utilities Plc, Whatman Plc, and Xansa Plc.

Old Mutual gained 0.91% after announcing that talks to sell its securities unit to Beeson Gregory have ended.
Stock broker Beeson Gregory lost 0.57% despite stating that it received a takeover offer.
Banking shares closed lower despite some good news: Deutsche Bank upgraded and raised its price target on Royal Bank of Scotland. Deutsche Bank also raised its price target on Barclays, and had positive comments on Abbey National, HBOS, and Standard Chartered Bank. CS First Boston stated in its reports that the banking sector is cheap.
Pearson gained 1.31% after issuing the trading statement that its business in the first 4 months of the year is in line with estimates.
Software developer CMG closed lower on a Merrill Lynch downgrade.
Defensive shares like tobacco gained.
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MmO2 lost 7.37% after Bear Stearns cut its earnings outlook on the mobile phone operator on fears of increased competition in its strongholds.
BHP Billiton closed lower after announcing that its Q3 Copper production will be lower, and the poor coal prices won't help either. BHP Billiton also has a strike at one of its South African mines.
Astrazeneca gained 0.60% on news that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Breast Cancer Drug, Faslodex™.
Scottish & Newcastle gained 0.57% after stating that its business is in line with estimates, and it expects an even stronger future after it finishes digesting its Finnish brewer, Hartwall.
Lloyds TSB gained 0.32% after announcing the expansion of its insurance business to China.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed lower. Gainers included: Abbey National Plc, Affinity Internet Plc, AIT Group Plc, Alphameric Plc, Amey Plc, Amvescap Plc, Autonomy Corp, BAA Plc, Biocompatibles Plc, British American Tobacco Plc, BT Group Plc, Collins Stewart Plc, Computacenter Plc, Dimension Data, Dixons Group Plc, Eidos Plc, Energis Plc, Enterprise Oil, Eyretel Plc, Galen Holdings Plc, Gallaher Group Plc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, HBOS Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, Innogy Holdings Plc, IQE Plc, J Sainsbury Plc, Lloyds TSB Group Plc, London Bridge Software, Man Group Plc, Marconi Plc, Medisys Plc, Merant Plc, Nestor Healthcare Plc, Northgate Information Services Plc, P&O Princess Cruise Plc, Pace Micro Tech, Phytopharm Plc, Reed International, RM Plc, Scottish & Southern Energy Plc, Shire Pharmaceuticals Group Plc, Six Continents Plc, SSL International Plc, Surfcontrol Plc, Thus Group Plc, Vernalis Group Plc, Vodafone Group Plc, Weston Medical Plc, WPP Group Plc, Xansa Plc, and Xenova Group Plc.

UK Retail sales rose only 0.1% from February to March, but 5.6% from March of 2001.
Astrazeneca lost 5.30% after reporting fiscal Q1 results that met city estimates. Astrazeneca also announced that the US FDA will consider its Cholesterol lowering drug, Crestor™, in June, but its launch date will not be in Q3 as planned. Astrazeneca also mentioned that it is facing a difficult time defending its patents for Losec™, its blockbuster Ulcer drug.
Vodafone Group gained 4.88% after announcing that it added 1.3 million new customers in the first quarter of this year. Vodafone's customer base now stands at 101.1 million.
Insurer CGNU lost 5.64% and took insurance shares lower after announcing that for Q1, its global life and pensions sales rose 10% to £629 million.
P&O Princess gained 0.55% after reporting fiscal Q1 pretax profit that rose 43%.
Marconi gained 1.36% after stating that in the first quarter, its operating loss was only £108 million, while its operating cash flow was £204 million.
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MmO2 lost 5.00% after broker Collins Stewart rated its shares as "worthless", IF it doesn't get away from Germany's Viag.
SSL International gained 1.76% on market rumours that US based Johnson & Johnson is interested in it.
Invensys lost 4.04% after announcing that it has signed a £960 million refinancing deal that expires July 2003 to replace the £950 million refinancing deal set to expire August 2002.
Carlton Communications and Granada closed lower after administrators of their joint venture ITV Digital announced that they might have to sell the business in pieces.
Autonomy gained 8.02% after reporting fiscal Q1 pretax profit that rose 56% to $4.2 million, which beat estimates, while sales rose 4% to $14.08 million, in line with estimates.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 closed higher but the TechMARK 100 closed lower. Gainers included: Abbey National Plc, Alliance & Leicester Plc, Amersham Plc, Amvescap Plc, Anite Group Plc, Arc International Plc, Associated British Foods, Astrazeneca Plc, Autonomy Corp, Azlan Group Plc, BAA Plc, Barclays Plc, Bookham Technology, British Airways Plc, British American Tobacco Plc, British Land Co. Plc, BskyB Plc, Cadbury Schweppes Plc, Capita Group Plc, Celltech Group Plc, CGNU Plc, Diagonal Plc, Domino Printing, Egg Plc, Emblaze Systems Plc, EMI Group Plc, Eyretel Plc, Genemedix Plc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Granada Plc, HBOS Plc, Hilton Group Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, Imperial Tobacco Plc, Innogy Holdings Plc, Innovation Group Plc, IQE Plc, Isoft Group Plc, Kidde Plc, Lattice Group Plc, Legal & General Plc, Lloyds TSB Group Plc, London Stock Exchange (LSE) Plc, Man Group Plc, Marconi Plc, Matalan Plc, Meggitt Plc, ML Labs Plc, Northern Rock Plc, Northgate Information Services Plc, Old Mutual Plc, P&O Princess Cruise Plc, Project Telecom Plc, Prudential Plc, Reckitt Benckiser Plc, Rentokil Initial, Ricardo Plc, RM Plc, Royal & Sun Alliance, Royal Bank of Scotland, Schroders Plc, Schroders NV, Scottish Power Plc, Scottish & Southern Energy Plc, Scottish & Newcastle Plc, Shire Pharmaceuticals Group Plc, Six Continents Plc, Smith & Nephew Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Surfcontrol Plc, Telemetrix Plc, Tesco Plc, Thus Group Plc, TTP Communications, United Utilities Plc, Vernalis Group Plc, Vodafone Group Plc, Weston Medical Plc, Wolseley Plc, Xansa Plc, and Zetters Plc.

Matalan gained 2.39% after acquiring knitwear brand, Wolsey.
GlaxoSmithKline gained 2.14% and pushed the sector higher after reporting fiscal Q1 results that beat city estimates.
The decline in Brent crude oil prices pushed oil shares lower.
P&O Princess gained 3.31% on the eve of its earnings report after US rival Royal Caribbean reported stronger-than-expected results on Wednesday.
Royal Bank of Scotland gained 3.95% after Morgan Stanley raised its price target on the shares. Banking shares were generally strong today.
Internet bank Egg gained 8.98% after reporting fiscal Q1 operating income of £74 million, which was higher than the year ago, as profits came in at £2 million.
Barclays gained 6.26% on the eve of its AGM and on rumours that its chairman, Peter Middleton, may step down.
Cable & Wireless closed 2.08% lower despite announcing a tie up with Cisco Systems to speed up and expand the roll out of their internet based global communications network.
Vodafone Group gained 0.47% after its Dutch unit, Vodafone Libertel, announced that as of March, its customer base rose 1% to 3.27 million. The whole group is due to report its subscriber numbers tomorrow.
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British Airways gained after one of its subsidiaries announced plans to cut jobs.
Troubled cable company NTL announced that it might file for bankruptcy as early as Monday so as to try and restructure its £7.3 billion debt.
Prudential gained 1.75% after reporting fiscal Q1 pretax profit of £4.1 million. Prudential also announced that its chairman, Sir Roger Hum, is stepping down.
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) Plc. gained 5.38% on market rumours that US based NASDAQ is about to acquire it. The LSE denied the rumour.
Fund company Amvescap closed lower after reporting fiscal Q1 earnings that missed city estimates.
Spread better operator Zetters gained 2.64% after announcing that it is acquiring rival, Financial Spreads, from Sporting Index for £8.7 million.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed lower due to earnings concerns in the US. Gainers included: Alliance & Leicester Plc, Allied Domecq Plc, Amersham Plc, Amvescap Plc, Anite Group Plc, Arc International Plc, ARM Holdings Plc, Associated British Foods, Astrazeneca Plc, Axon Group Plc, Azlan Group Plc, BAA Plc, BAE Systems Plc, Barclays Plc, BG Group Plc, Biocompatibles Plc, Boots Co Plc, British Airways Plc, British American Tobacco Plc, British Land Co. Plc, Burn Stewart Distillers Plc, Cadbury Schweppes Plc, Canary Wharf Plc, Celtic (FC) Plc, Centrica Plc, Cobham Plc, Cordiant Communications, Dixons Group Plc, Domino Printing, Egg Plc, Enterprise Oil Plc, Gallaher Group Plc, Genemedix Plc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Gyrus Group Plc, HBOS Plc, Hilton Group Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, International Power Plc, Innovation Group Plc, J Sainsbury Plc, Kingfisher Plc, KS Biomedix Holdings Plc, Land Securities Plc, Lloyds TSB Group Plc, Man Group Plc, Marks & Spencer Plc, McCarthy & Stone Plc, Meggitt Plc, Mitie Group Plc, ML Labs Plc, MmO2 Plc, Northern Rock Plc, Northgate Information Services Plc, Old Mutual Plc, Oxford Instruments Plc, P&O Steam Navigation Co. Plc, Pace Micro Tech, Phytopharm Plc, Powderject Pharmaceuticals, Powergen Plc, Reckitt Benckiser Plc, Rentokil Initial Plc, RM Plc, Rolls Royce Plc, Royalblue Group Plc, Scottish Power Plc, Scottish & Southern Energy Plc, Scottish & Newcastle Plc, Smith & Nephew Plc, Spectris Plc, Spirent Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Synstar Plc, Telewest Communications Plc, Ultra Electronics Holdings Plc, Unilever Plc, United Utilities Plc, and Xenova Group Plc.

MmO2 gained 4.59% after Goldman Sachs raised its earnings outlook on the shares and maintained its "market outperform" recommendation.
Telecommunications shares were generally lower today as the Ericsson and Worldcom warnings continue to linger.
Associated British Foods gained 8.07% after announcing that it is paying £248 million in cash to acquire Unilever's Mazola™ corn oil and products brand. Unilever gained 0.60%.
Oil shares closed lower after US based oil giant, ExxonMobil, reported less than stellar fiscal Q1 results.
Banking and financial services shares closed relatively upbeat.
GlaxoSmithKline gained and lifted the pharmaceutical sector on the eve of its earnings report.
Rio Tinto lost 3.26% and took mining shares lower after reporting a decline in Q1 copper output.
Defensive shares like Drinks and tobacco gained.
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IT services firm Logica lost 2.07% and took the sector down after CS First Boston lowered its price target on the shares, and had no good comments on the sector.
Carlton Communications and Granada closed lower after The Football League threatened to sue for money owed when ITV Digital is sold.
Sage Group lost 1.79% despite announcing that it is teaming up with IBM to offer Linux™ based applications for small and medium sized businesses worldwide.
Xenova Group gained 7.50% after signing an agreement with Genentech of the US worth £43.2 million to develop and market products using Xenova's OX40™ technology.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed lower due to an Ericsson and Worldcom warning that sent Telecommunications shares lower. Gainers included: Acambis Plc, Alliance & Leicester Plc, Allied Domecq Plc, Astrazeneca Plc, BAE Systems Plc, BHP Billiton Plc, BOC Group Plc, Boots Co Plc, Brambles Industries Plc, British Airways Plc, British Land Co. Plc, Cadbury Schweppes Plc, Canary Wharf Plc, Carlton Communications Plc, Corus Group Plc, Diageo Plc, Diagonal Plc, Domino Printing, EMI Group Plc, Fibernet Group Plc, Friends Provident Plc, Gallaher Group Plc, GUS Plc, Hanson Plc, ICI Plc, Imperial Tobacco Plc, Innogy Holdings Plc, International Power Plc, J Sainsbury Plc, Kidde Plc, Land Securities Plc, LastMinute.Com, Lattice Group Plc, Legal & General Plc, Marconi Plc, Marks & Spencer Plc, Morrison Supermarket Plc, National Grid Plc, Northern Rock Plc, Old Mutual Plc, Reckitt Benckiser Plc, Rolls Royce Plc, Royal & Sun Alliance, Schroders NV, Scottish Power Plc, Scottish & Southern Energy Plc, Scottish & Newcastle Plc, Severn Trent Plc, Smith & Nephew Plc, Smiths Group Plc, Spectris Plc, Telewest Communications Plc, Thus Group Plc, Unilever Plc, United Utilities Plc, and Xenova Group Plc.

Hedge fund group, Man Group, lost 1.67% after announcing plans to add staff at its US unit so as to attract new customers.
Telecommunications shares were hit after Ericsson reported a wider than expected loss and plans to raise about $3 billion in a rights issue, cut about 20,000 jobs and suspended plans for an early return to profitability. Worldcom also contributed to the demise of telecommunications shares after lowering its 2002 outlook.
Reuters lost 0.78% after reporting weaker-than-expected revenue and stated that it is not yet over the trouble spots.
Lattice Group gained 11.14% after National Grid announced that it is acquiring it to create Britain's largest energy utility. National Grid gained 3.06% on the news, and other utilities shares gained too.
Defensive shares like Drinks, retailers and tobacco gained.
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Advertiser WPP Group lost 0.84% after reporting that fiscal Q1 revenue declined, and its business hasn't picked up yet.
MmO2 lost 8.84% and led mobile phone operators lower after Investec Henderson Crosthwaite cut its price target on the shares.
BAE Systems gained 0.49% after the Czech Republic approved an order of 24 Gripen™ jets, its joint venture jets developed in co-operation with SAAB® of Sweden.
Carlton Communications gained 1.12%, while Granada closed lower, after administrators of their joint venture, ITV Digital, announced they will pay the pay-TV company as a going concern.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed lower due to a plane crash into a Milan skyscraper, and on poor results from Nokia. Gainers included: Abbey National Plc, Arcadia Group Plc, Barclays Plc, Bellway Plc, Boots Co. Plc, British Biotech Plc, Daily Mail & General Trust, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Granada Plc, Hanson Plc, HBOS Plc, Innovation Group Plc, LastMinute.Com, Michael Page International, Northern Rock Plc, Royal Bank of Scotland, Telewest Communications Plc, and Wolseley Plc.

The Euro Zone Industrial Production rose 0.2% in February.
Telecommunications shares were hit after Nokia reported that its sales declined 12% and pro forma profits declined 11%. Nokia also lowered its 2002 outlook.
Easyjet closed lower after announcing that it founder Stelios Haji-Ionnou will step down as chairman in 2003. Airline shares didn't do very well after a commercial jetliner crashed into a Milan skyscraper - terrorism has been ruled out.
Oil shares are still reeling from the planned 10% tax on North Sea oil profits.
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Arcadia Group gained 10.96% after reporting that its like-for-like sales in the last 6 months rose 9.4%, while pretax profits rose 60%.
Abbey National gained 0.83% after announcing that it is selling its fleet management business to Lloyds TSB.
Granada gained 1.36% after announcing that it failed to make progress in its talks with the Football League over ITV Digital.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 closed higher as the Exchequer released the budget today. Gainers included: 3i Group Plc, Abbey National Plc, AIT Plc, Alliance & Leicester Plc, Alphameric Plc, Amey Plc, Amvescap Plc, Anglo American Plc, Arcadia Group Plc, ARM Holdings Plc, Associated British Foods Plc, Autonomy Corp, BOC Group Plc, Brambles Industries Plc, British Airways Plc, British Biotech Plc, BskyB Plc, BT Group Plc, Canary Wharf Plc, Capita Group Plc, Computacenter Plc, Corus Group Plc, Daily Mail & General Trust, Dimension Data, Druck Holdings Plc, Gallaher Group Plc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Granada Plc, Greene King Plc, Hanson Plc, HBOS Plc, Hilton Group Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, Innovation Group Plc, International Power Plc, Innovation Group Plc, Invensys Plc, Land Securities Plc, LastMinute.Com, Legal & General, Lloyds TSB Plc, Logica Plc, London Bridge Software Plc, Marconi Plc, ML Labs Plc, MmO2 Plc, Morse Plc, Northern Rock Plc, Orange SA, Pace Micro Tech, Pearson Plc, Phytopharm Plc, Powderject Pharmaceuticals, Psion Plc, Rank Group Plc, Reed International, Reuters Group Plc, Royal & Sun Alliance, Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, SA Breweries Plc, Schroders Plc, Schroders NV, Scottish & Newcastle Plc, Six Continents Plc, Skyepharma Plc, Spirent Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, SVB Group Plc, TTP Communications, United Utilities Plc, Vernalis Group Plc, Vodafone Group Plc, Wolseley Plc, Wolverhampton & Dudley Plc, and Xansa Plc.

UK Unemployment declined 6,000 in March to an Unemployment Rate of 3.1%.
The Euro Zone Consumer Price Index (CPI), a good measure of consumer inflation, rose 2.5% in March, as the Core CPI also rose 2.5%.
Dixons Group lost 3.10% after CS First Boston downgraded it to a "hold".
Tesco lost 0.77% after going ex-dividend.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, made the budget known today with the following information/surprises:
Oil shares closed lower due to a proposed 10% tax on North Sea oil profits.
Hilton Group, the operator of Ladbrokers, gained after betting shops got a 5-year permission to use racing data in their betting shops.
Rank Group gained 1.14% after tax free status were extended to Bingo.
Smaller brewers gained after duties on their own brands were reduced.
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Boots Co. lost 0.07% after announcing plans to demerge its Halsfords car parts and cycle retailing business.
BT Group gained 2.94% after Deutsche Bank added it to its "UK Recommended List".
Banking shares continued their surge forward today.
Insurance software developer, Innovation Group, gained after announcing a $23 million contract.
Amvescap gained 1.46% after its Invesco unit announced plans to restructure its UK operations and become more efficient.
BskyB gained as it becomes very likely that rival ITV Digital might fold permanently.
Telewest Communications closed lower on fears it might go the way of NTL.
SA Breweries gained 0.05% despite a Philip Morris statement that their talks on Miller Brewing are far from a done deal.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) FTSE 100 and the TechMARK 100 rallied today. Gainers included: 3i Group Plc, Abbey National Plc, AEA Technology Plc, Affinity Internet Plc, Alliance & Leicester Plc, Amvescap Plc, Anglo American Plc, Anite Group Plc, Arc International Plc, ARM Holdings Plc, Associated British Foods Plc, Axon Group Plc, BAA Plc, BAE Systems Plc, Barclays Plc, BG Group Plc, BHP Billiton Plc, Biocompatibles Plc, BOC Group Plc, Bookham technology, Boots Co. Plc, BP Amoco Plc, Brambles Industries Plc, British Airways Plc, British Biotech Plc, BskyB Plc, BT Group Plc, Cable & Wireless Plc, Canary Wharf Plc, Centrica Plc, CGNU Plc, Colt Telecom Group Plc, Compass Group Plc, Cordiant Communications, Corus Group Plc, CMG Plc, Dimension Data, Domino Printing, Druck Holdings Plc, Elan Corp, Electrocomponent, Emblaze Systems Plc, EMI Group Plc, Energis Plc, Filtronic Plc, First Technology Plc, Gallaher Group Plc, Granada Plc, HBOS Plc, Hilton Group Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, ICI Plc, Innovation Group Plc, International Power Plc, Invensys Plc, Isoft Group Plc, Kewill Systems Plc, Kingfisher Plc, Land Securities Plc, LastMinute.Com, Lattice Group Plc, Lloyds TSB Plc, Logica Plc, London Bridge Software Plc, Man Group Plc, Meggitt Plc, ML Labs Plc, MmO2 Plc, Morse Plc, Northern Rock Plc, Northgate Information Services Plc, Orange SA, Oxford Glycosciences Plc, Pearson Plc, Phytopharm Plc, Powderject Pharmaceuticals, Prudential Plc, Redstone Plc, Reed International, Reuters Group Plc, Rolls Royce Plc, Royal & Sun Alliance, Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, SA Breweries Plc, Sage Group Plc, Schroders Plc, Severn Trent Plc, Shell Transport & Trading Plc, Six Continents Plc, Skyepharma Plc, Spirent Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Thus Group Plc, Unilever Plc, United Utilities Plc, Vernalis Group Plc, Vodafone Group Plc, Weston Medical Plc, and WPP Group Plc.

UK Consumer Price Index (CPI), a good measure of consumer inflation, rose 2.3% in March.
Oil shares and prices closed higher again after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a strict observer of OPEC production quota, returned to power on Sunday.
Reuters Group gained 1.71% after its Island ECN subsidiary made known that will display its quotes on the highly anticipated NASDAQ SuperMontage Trading System due in July.
MmO2 gained 6.54% and led mobile phone shares higher after announcing that renegotiation of its next generation network contracts will save it about 22% over 5 years.
Banking and telecommunications shares led the markets higher today.
BP Amoco gained 1.51% after increasing its stake in Russian oil company, Sidanco, to 25%.
Shell gained 1.88% after its Chairman, Philip Watts, met with Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Kasyanov, about current and possibly new Russian projects.
Kewill Systems gained 81.25% after announcing that it will break evn in the second half, well better than what city analysts were expecting.
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Condoms maker SSL International lost 27.50% after lowering its forecast and announcing restructuring plans.
GUS lost 2.18% despite announcing that its second half sales were strong. GUS' Argos unit saw like-for-like sales in the period that rose 13%, as total sales rose 17%. US unit Experian and Burberry weren't so spectacular. GUS also announced plans to cut 300 jobs at its call centre and logistics unit, Reality, and will take a £4 million charge for the action. GUS also announced that the demerger of Burberry is still planned for June 2002.
Troubled cable operator NTL announced that it has reached an agreement with bondholders to swap about $10.6 billion in debt for equity.

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY MARKET SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS (Late Edition) ARCHIVES

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY MARKET SUMMARY
AND ANALYSIS (Late Edition) ARCHIVES