UK Market News

Thursday May 8, 07:39 AM
Thomson Financial UK at a glance share guide

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Leading shares look set to open lower on Thursday, after a slide on Wall Street late on Wednesday, with consumer goods giant Unilever (LSE: ULVR.L - news) among many UK-listed companies reporting today, which also sees the Bank of England making its monthly decision on interest rates.

The FTSE 100 will open about 20 points lower at 6,241, according to spread betting firm IG Index. On Wednesday, the FTSE 100 rose 45.8 points to 6,261.0, its highest close in nearly four months.

MARKETS

FTSE 100 6,261.0, up 45.8

FTSE 250 (news) 10,448.6, up 119.6

DJIA 12,814.30, down 206.50

Nasdaq Comp 2,438.49, down 44.82

S&P 500 1,392.57, down 25.69

Tokyo: Nikkei (news) midday 13,978.94, down 123.54

Hang Seng (news) miiday 25,424.90, down 185.31

Gold $867.75 ($879.60)

Oil - Brent Jun $122.32 ($120.31)

TODAY'S PRESS

* Banks boost current account fees in race to beat OFT cap; monthly payments surge by up to 20 percent; Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: 91ID.L - news) , NatWest and Lloyds TSB cite value - Times (1832.HK - news)

* Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT - news) looks at Facebook over $47.5 billion takeover - Times

* Spain's Iberdrola (Madrid: IBE.MC - news) puts finishing touches to British Energy (LSE: BGY.L - news) bid - Times

* Europe and United States unite on dollar rise; policymakers welcome currency's rebound; more focus needed on euro zone prospects - FT

* Labour in talks to delay paying off 10 million pounds in loans - FT

* Pub groups could be heading for one of the biggest changes in their history as Enterprise Inns (LSE: ETI.L - news) says it has been given the go-ahead by the government to convert to a tax-efficient real estate investment trust - FT

* Carphone Warehouse (LSE: CPW.L - news) and Best Buy to establish a joint venture to sell consumer electronic goods in Europe - FT

* Well-placed sources claim Carphone will use part of the Best Buy investment to snap up Tiscali (TIS.MDD - news) , the United Kingdom's fourth-biggest broadband operator, valued at up to 500 million pounds - Mail

* Top companies seek to offload risk associate with their pension obligations - FT

* BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT.L - news) could sell $50 billion of assets if it captures Rio Tinto (Frankfurt: 855018 - news) - FT

* British Airways (LSE: BAY.L - news) chief blames Terminal 5 fiasco on BAA failing to finish building - Guardian

PRESS COMMENT

THE LEX COLUMN comments on London's airports, U.S. Reits, Sprint and Clearwire, ArcelorMittal (Amsterdam: NSCNL0001MT7.AS - news) and steel (prospects for this year and the next remain remarkably bright) - MARKETS - LONDON: Centrica (LSE: CNA.L - news) (Monday's trading statement could be accompanied by a warning about the impact of rising wholesale gas prices on profit), Misys (LSE: MSY.L - news) (rumours of a 210 pence-a-share bid approach from a private equity group), Tate & Lyle (biggest shareholder, activist hedge fund, Harbinger, declares a 6 percent stake in Corn Products -- one of Tate's U.S. rivals), Cable & Wireless (Panama's economic ministry examining options for its 49 percent stake in C&W Panama)

Telegraph

QUESTOR: British American Tobacco (LSE: BATS.L - news) (buy), Anglo Irish Bank (Dublin: CKL1.IR - news) (buy)

Independent

THE INVESTMENT COLUMN: British American Tobacco (buy), InterContinental Hotels (LSE: IHG.L - news) (hold), Numis (cautious hold)

Express

SHARE WHISPER: Aldgate Capital (LSE: AGT.L - news) (retail punters bet on an acquisition)

Times

Tempus: BHP Billiton (should be held), Restaurant Group (LSE: RTN.L - news) (worth buying on weakness), International Power (IPWG.PK - news) (a solid hold) - Rumour of the day: Genus (LSE: GNS.L - news) (talk of a 12 pounds-a-share bid; Tyson Foods of the United States could be interested, as could Monsanto) - Deal of the day: Croma Group (LSE: CMG.L - news) (chairman bought 150,000 shares at 3 pence each on Tuesday and another 100,000 at 3 pence yesterday)

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

THURSDAY MAY 8

INTERIMS

Endeavour International Corporation (Q1)

Inmarsat (LSE: ISAT.L - news) (Q1)

Lonmin (LSE: LMI.L - news)

Mapeley (Q1)

Sage Group (LSE: SGE.L - news)

Unilever (Q1)

Virgin Media (NASDAQ: VMED - news) (Q1)

FINALS

Alexandra