Europe Intelligence Wire articles from October 2002, page 9

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from October 2002

Wake up and smell the ERP: Enterprise resource planning is the latest tool for companies using internet technology to go for growth. Wale Azeez visits one firm that is already feeling the benefit of ERP.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Despite the snail's pace at which some industries cottoned on to e-business, even the most conservative sectors eventually came to see some potential benefit. Take the chemicals industry. On the surface, the...

Beating the hi-tech fraudsters at their own game: Online credit card fraud is driving many small businesses to bankruptcy. Justin Hunt asks how they and credit card companies are combating the menace and preventing further damage to SMEs.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Sophisticated and well-organised gangs of credit card fraudsters are threatening the bankruptcy of some small and medium-sized businesses by 'paying' for goods that then have to be refunded by the seller to the...

A textbook example: Text messaging is no longer the preserve of flirting teens. It can be a powerful method for businesses to sell their product to targeted customers. Trevor Clawson reports on the next SMS revolution: A deep shade of emerald.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Some 10%of the 1.4bn text messages sent in Britain every month are business related When Cellar Society director Adam Phelps needs to hire freelance catering staff, he sends a text message. His company organises...

Knowledge is power: When Sun Microsystems realised how much they were paying arch rivals Microsoft for software, they set about creating a free, downloadable office system. Ben Hammersley explains how they did it.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) I've paid for most of Bill Gates's garden shed. While the Microsoft chairman has been busy building his dream techno-home outside Seattle, I've been setting up some small companies' systems. I need to give every...

Glad to be green?: Comment: Guy Clapperton finds the business of going green can leave you feeling the blues.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Making sure your technology doesn't damage the environment is, of course, an excellent idea, which is why you're so often urged to upgrade rather than bin your old computer when your needs change. The law is...

This month's travel news.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) * New routes launched in October include Paris CDG-Bristol (from pounds 93 return) and CDG-Aberdeen (from pounds 174 return) on Air France (airfrance. co.uk). Ryanair (ryanair.com) begins flying from Stansted to...

Look east for a bargain: Business travellers to the Far East now have a wealth of little-known flight and hotel bargains available at the click of a mouse. Ros Taylor advises on how to snap them up before they become too popular.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Everyone who writes about travel has their achilles heel, and mine was south-east Asia. I've never had the chance to visit the region. So I was very pleased to track down Luke Mellor, a self-employed consultant who...

Popular shares.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Price (p) Change Price (p) Change Abbey National 634.00 +20.50 Alliance & Leicester 841.00 -4.00 BAA 570.50 +15.50 BG Group 254.00* +6.50 BP 404.00 +11.50 Bradford & Bingley 319.00...

Accountants in fraud inquiry.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: JILL TREANOR Two East Midlands accountancy firms and two of their partners are being investigated for a suspected pounds 12.5m fraud against investors. Details of the serious fraud office investigation...

Bonds and money markets.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Price Yield Yield change on day on year UK 10-year gilt 102.9400 4.61 +0.03 +0.03 US 10-year T-bill 107.2099 3.94 +0.04 -0.48 German 10-yr bund 103.6100 4.51 +0.05 +0.10 Dec Change March Change June...

Citigroup moves to restore confidence.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: DAVID TEATHER IN NEW YORK Citigroup yesterday detailed plans to split its research and retail brokerage division from investment banking in an effort to restore confidence in the world's largest financial...

Blacks: healthy and fit again.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Britain's largest specialist outdoor retailer, Blacks Leisure Group, reported a strong rise in first-half sales and profits yesterday as it recovered from the impact of last year's foot- and-mouth epidemic. The...

Elan confident of recovery.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Garo Armen, Elan's chairman, said yesterday that the debt-laden Irish drugs company is on target to meet the goals set three months ago to restore its viability. "I expect we will raise well in excess of $1.5bn ahead...

Consumer confidence low.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level this year, according to the monthly report by research firm Martin Hamblin GfK. Its consumer confidence index slid by three points in October to stand at plus one....

Bauer leads Kirch bid talks.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Insolvent German media group KirchMedia said yesterday it would start exclusive talks with a consortium based on family-owned publisher Bauer Verlag to sell assets, including a majority stake in Germany's biggest...

Company results.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Turnover Pre-tax profit EPS Dividend Blacks Leisure (I) 130.5m (171.1m) 3.9m (-0.9m) 6.9p (0.05p) 2.4p (2.4p) Homestyle Group (I) 296.8m (267.9m) 1.7m (0.26m) -0.6p (-1.6p) 4.4p (4.4p) Pilkington (I)...

Exchange rates.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Rate Change Pound/dollar 1.5574 -0.0018 Pound/euro 1.5833 +0.0010 Euro/dollar 0.9837 -0.0017 Dollar/yen 122.810 +0.3550 Sterling index 106.4 Unch Brent Oil ($) Dec 25.28 -0.24 Gold ($)...

Interest and inflation.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Rate B of E base rate (Nov 8) 4.00% Finance House base rate 4.50% Halifax mortgage rate 5.75% Retail price index (September) 177.6 (+1.2) Annual change +1.7% Nationwide house price index...

Key markets.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Close Change Year high Year low Yield FTSE 100 4002.7 +66.80 5323.80 3671.10 +1.70 FTSE 250 4388.0 +21.50 6198.10 4089.30 +0.49 FTSE All-Share 1921.80 +28.55 2580.00 1782.57 +1.51 FTSE AIM 586.6 -1.90...

Prince seeks to export volunteer scheme.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: TERRY MACALISTER Britain is hoping to export an unusual success story - corporate social responsibility - with plans to spread worldwide its message of employee engagement in local communities. A...

Convenient buy for Tesco: Supermarket group expands into corner shops with pounds 530m acquisition of T&S.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: JULIA FINCH CITY EDITOR In one step Tesco has acquired a sizeable stake in the corner shop business, acquiring One Stop and Nite and Day stores Photograph: Lorne Campbell/Guzelian Supermarket group...

Tourist rates Bank sells.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Australia Dollars 2.70 Barbados Dollars 2.94 Canada Dollars 2.35 Cyprus Pounds 0.88 Denmark Kroner 11.32 Eurozone Euro 1.52 Hong Kong Dollars 11.68 India Rupee 75.35 Israel Shekels...

Crackdown on long hours culture.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: ANDREW CLARK The government will begin a crackdown on the "long hours culture" of junior doctors and transport staff today by seeking views on extending the European working time directive to 770,000 extra...

Breaking the corruptible link: Notebook New York and London, please note.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Back in the early 1990s, the Wellcome Trust medical charity was preparing to sell off a large part of its controlling stake in Wellcome, the drugs firm which is now part of GlaxoSmithkline. It was a big deal. In...

Warranty issue.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) A collapsing divan may be the closest some of us get to feeling the earth move. But it seems that if your bed comes from a Homestyle outlet, such as Harveys or Rosebys, you can take out an insurance policy. So if...

Mulcahy's metier.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Sir Geoff Mulcahy was never much respected for his suits or his social skills. But he knew how to run shops. There is no doubt that many in the City will be glad to see him go, and early at that. The share price...

Buzz word is Bournemouth.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: ANDREW CLARK TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT Buzz is hoping to ferry thousands of English language students from European cities to the south coast by setting up a base for low-cost flights at Bournemouth...

Retailer faces pounds 23m charge for VAT.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: IAN GRIFFITHS Homestyle, the furniture and textiles retailer, has been landed with a VAT bill for as much as pounds 23m. Customs & excise has challenged the way in which the furnishings group accounts...

Sir Geoff and Kingfisher part ways: Founder leaves with a pounds 700,000 annual pension.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: JULIA FINCH CITY EDITOR The 20-year career of Kingfisher chief executive Sir Geoff Mulcahy will come to an abrupt end tomorrow -months ahead of schedule and leaving the group he built without a chief...

Provincial cities seek to close gap.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: PETER HETHERINGTON Ministers have been challenged to create low-tax zones and provide a range of other incentives in England's big provincial cities to narrow the widening gap with London and the...

A young Turk who stayed too long.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Sir Geoff Mulcahy bows out with an undeservedly tarnished reputation. He was one of the young Turks of British business 20 years ago when involved in the management buyout of Woolworths from its ailing US parent....

EU fines Nintendo pounds 94m for rip-off.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: ANDREW OSBORN IN BRUSSELS Nintendo, the Japanese video games manufacturer, was yesterday found guilty of ripping off its customers in continental Europe for most of the 1990s and fined pounds 94m by the...

Dove helps Unilever sales soar: Consumer group raises profit hopes.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: TERRY MACALISTER Soaring sales growth from key brands such as Dove soaps has encouraged Unilever to raise profit forecasts for the year. The Anglo-Dutch consumer group said volumes of its top 400...

VW holds firm on forecast despite downturn.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: MARK MILNER Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, yesterday said it was sticking to its 2002 profits target despite a sharp downturn in its third-quarter performance. The group said that the upturn...

Final reels Yves Saint Laurent retires.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Seamstresses at Yves Saint Laurent in Paris which closes today. The designer is retiring at 66 and closing the haute couture business, all that he and ex-lover Pierre Berge control of the fashion house opened in...

City diary.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: RICHARD ADAMS * Quite why bank tellers have to wear uniforms is one thing - but now the newly-merged HBOS is forcing staff at Halifax General Insurance to don corporate colours. Which colours, though?...

Ge rm an money machine grinds to a halt: Europe's most powerful banking sector is on red alert.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: MARK MILNER AND JILL TREANOR Germany's banking system is facing a crisis of confidence. Profits are evaporating and share prices crumbling, prompting uncomfortable comparisons with Japan's troubled finance...

Shorts under 5 years.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Exchequer 9% 2002 100.26 -0.02 105.38 100.26 8.98 3.83 Conv 9 3/4 % 2003 102.98 -0.03 108.86 102.98 9.47 3.90 Treas 8% 2003 102.59 -0.03 106.39 102.59 7.80 3.65 Treas 10% 2003 105.28 -0.04 110.70 105.26...

Empty offices.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) A struggling economy matters to all banks, but to Germany's it matters more than most. A huge slice of the economy is accounted for by the Mittelstand, the small and medium-sized sector. Significantly, and unlike...

Mediums 5 to 15 years.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Treas 11 3/4 % 2003-07 101.76 -0.03 109.44 101.76 11.55 3.78 Treas 8 1/2 % 2007 117.41 -0.09 120.39 113.96 7.24 4.37 Treas 7 1/4 % 2007 112.98 -0.09 115.11 108.88 6.42 4.38 Treas 13 1/2 % 2004-08 113.22...

Longs over 15 years.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Treas 8 3/4 % 2017 143.05 -0.30 148.65 134.98 6.12 4.69 Exchequer 12% 2013-17 163.40 -0.29 170.34 156.67 7.34 4.64 Treas 8% 2021 141.51 -0.37 147.48 132.30 5.65 4.64 Treas 5% 2025 105.51 -0.33 110.38 97.11...

Undated.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Consols 4% 80.92 -0.38 85.72 71.57 4.94 0.00 War Loan 3 1/2 % 74.50 -0.33 78.57 65.09 4.70 0.00 Conv 3 1/2 % 79.01 -0.39 83.95 68.93 4.43 0.00 Treas 3% '66 Aft. 56.69 -0.24 59.81 50.52 5.29 0.00 ...

Index-linked.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Treas 2 1/2 % 2003 223.97 223.97 216.71 3.77 3.77 Treas 4 3/8 % IL 2004 136.07 136.07 132.09 0.90 1.47 Treas 2% 2006 250.33 0.10 250.58 239.60 1.83 2.13 Treas 2 1/2 % 2009 224.23 -0.07 226.44 215.12 2.13...

LIFFE financial futures.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) SETTLEMENT DAY'S RANGE CONTRACTS OPEN HIGH LOW TRADED INTEREST LONG GILT Dec 02 118.82 119.08/ 118.60 24484 87154 Mar 03 118.02 / 0 0 EURIBOR Dec 02 96.930 96.995/ 96.920 223807 604503 Mar 03...

Aerospace & defence.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 168.50 124.50 Alvis 141.50 -0.50 4.0 17.1 385.50 164.00 *BAE Systems 179.00 +3.75 5.1 20.3 393.50 203.50 Chemring Group 248.00 -2.50 2.7 9.2 1210.00 890.00 Cobham 960.00 -5.00 2.5 13.1 259.50 149.00...

Automobiles.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 364.50 192.75 GKN 221.50 -1.00 5.0 - 878.00 506.00 Inchcape 683.00 +2.00 4.1 7.6 *100.51 16.00 *Mayflower Corpn 21.00 14.3 - 405.00 214.50 Pendragon 301.00 -6.50 5.4 8.5 142.50 22.50 Torotrak 30.00 -...

Banks.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 1148.00 499.00 Abbey National 634.00 +20.50 8.0 5.7 958.50 662.00 Alliance & Leicester 841.00 -4.00 4.5 13.9 977.53 589.43 Allied Irish 864.65 +4.51 3.3 28.4 450.00 207.50 Anglo Irish 408.00 -2.00 1.7 15.2...

Beverages.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 475.25 331.50 Allied Domecq 384.00 +14.00 3.5 9.0 505.00 402.50 Barr (AG) 430.50 +2.00 5.0 10.2 430.00 72.50 Bulmer (HP) 90.50 +2.00 20.4 - 949.00 655.50 *Diageo 718.00 +41.00 3.3 27.9 800.00 595.00...

Chemicals.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 1124.00 808.00 BOC Group 864.00 -9.00 4.4 18.5 275.00 174.50 *British Vita 235.00 4.7 11.0 309.50 219.50 Croda Intl 266.50 +15.00 4.3 17.4 48.00 20.00 Elementis 26.00 - 7.7 363.16 197.75 ICI 227.75...

Computing & software.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 180.50 15.50 Anite Group 17.75 -0.25 - 2.6 440.00 88.00 Autonomy Corp 140.00 -5.00 - 43.6 203.00 40.50 *Axon Group 47.00 3.2 8.5 164.50 59.50 Azlan 76.50 +0.50 - 6.2 23.75 3.50 Baltimore Tech 5.00...

Construction.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 327.50 195.00 Abbey 285.00 4.4 - 98.00 62.00 Aggregate Inds 70.75 -2.25 3.6 10.7 490.00 175.00 AMEC 205.00 +1.00 4.9 9.1 281.00 120.00 *Balfour Beatty 163.00 +10.10 3.2 11.2 520.00 318.00 *Barratt Dev...

Electricity.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 294.50 4.00 British Energy 10.50 +1.40 76.2 - 231.75 81.75 International Power 100.00 - 8.6 515.00 396.25 Nat Grid Transco 464.50 +5.50 3.5 22.2 122.50 104.50 Northern Elec Pref 104.50 7.7 - 715.00...

Electronics.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 382.50 180.00 Abacus 208.00 4.4 10.8 617.50 357.50 Acal 367.50 +2.50 5.0 8.8 445.00 305.00 Alba 410.00 2.2 69.4 1025.00 287.50 Alstom UKDR 300.00 - 3.4 88.00 23.50 *Chloride Group 33.50 +1.80 4.8 81.4...

Engineering.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 308.00 190.00 AGA Foodservs 199.00 -2.50 2.6 13.1 127.00 71.00 Babcock Intl 107.00 +0.50 2.7 8.7 252.00 91.50 Bodycote Intl 92.50 -0.50 6.8 7.5 206.00 95.50 Charter 95.50 -6.00 - - 105.00 15.50...

Food Retailers.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 192.75 23.75 Big Food Grp 39.00 -0.50 6.4 3.7 4025.00 2862.50 Greggs 3665.00 -5.00 1.8 19.1 260.00 162.50 *Morrison (Wm) 206.75 +3.75 1.1 19.7 360.00 180.00 Safeway 210.25 -7.00 4.5 8.1 425.00 243.75...

Forestry & paper.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 184.50 129.50 Smith (DS) 159.00 -0.50 5.5 12.2

Food Producers.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 638.50 450.00 Ass British Foods 576.00 +1.00 2.0 16.3 827.00 445.00 Brake Brothers 822.50 2.0 16.9 538.50 392.75 Cadbury Schweppes 424.00 +8.75 2.6 14.5 *549.25 291.50 Cranswick 486.50 +1.00 2.2 7.6 ...

Gas distribution.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 239.75 146.00 *Centrica 178.00 +5.50 1.9 14.8 292.50 168.00 *International Energy 185.00 3.5 21.5

General retailers.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 238.00 137.50 *Alexon 181.50 +1.33 1.8 5.8 174.50 100.50 Allders 104.00 +1.00 8.7 13.1 425.00 230.00 *Arcadia Group 406.25 1.8 13.7 28.00 8.75 Ashley (L) 12.50 - 12.6 68.50 12.75 Baird (Wm) 14.75...

Health.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 673.50 455.00 *Alliance UniChem 480.00 +8.50 3.0 9.2 780.00 410.00 *Amersham 572.00 +12.00 1.3 17.7 202.50 9.00 AorTech 12.25 +0.75 - - 600.00 407.50 Bespak 407.50 -6.50 4.7 9.9 602.50 68.00...

Household & textiles.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 58.50 45.25 Coats 48.50 6.4 46.2 285.00 231.50 Headlam Group 241.50 4.9 10.4 258.50 116.50 Silentnight 122.50 -10.50 9.9 14.3 57.50 21.00 Waterford Wedgwd 25.00 7.8 -

Insurance.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 108.50 60.00 Amlin 88.00 0.9 - 80.00 54.00 BRIT Insurance 59.50 -1.00 - - 159.00 33.50 Cox Insurance 60.00 -1.00 - - 791.00 445.00 *Domestic & Genl 500.00 3.8 10.9 *157.62 116.67 Hiscox 123.00 1.0 -...

Investment companies.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 946.00 385.50 3i 500.50 +10.50 2.6 28.2 420.00 152.00 3i Bioscience Inv 192.50 - - 27.00 5.00 3i European Tech 9.00 - - 184.50 104.50 *3i Smaller Quoted 112.50 3.8 24.6 27.00 0.50 Aberdeen High Inc...

IT hardware.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 63.50 20.50 ARC International 26.00 +0.50 - - 447.00 38.25 ARM Hldgs 56.25 +2.25 - 15.4 68.00 11.25 BATM 12.25 - 3.5 195.75 40.00 Bookham Tech 75.50 +3.75 - - 452.50 27.50 *Filtronic 77.50 +14.00 3.5...

Leisure & hotels.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 72.00 16.75 Arena Leisure 25.75 - - 72.50 45.50 *City Centre Rest 52.00 6.6 10.2 533.75 245.25 Compass 287.00 +6.75 2.1 17.9 394.50 257.00 De Vere Group 286.25 +0.25 3.8 15.8 280.00 82.00 Eidos 110.00...

Life assurance.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 898.00 313.00 *Aviva 485.00 -1.00 6.7 - 825.00 250.00 Britannic Gp 325.00 +8.50 17.0 - 174.00 96.50 Countrywide Ass 124.50 -4.00 4.5 8.7 215.00 99.00 *Friends Provident 133.00 -2.00 5.5 49.3 1081.00...

Mining.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 1310.00 684.00 Anglo American 840.00 +13.00 4.0 11.0 648.50 430.00 Antofagasta Hldgs 517.50 +2.50 3.3 13.1 410.00 243.00 Aquarius Platinum 314.00 -1.00 1.2 15.3 *395.58 248.00 BHP Billiton 308.75 +2.25 2.7...

Oil & gas.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 163.50 113.50 *Abbot 136.50 2.7 20.7 129.50 9.50 Alkane Energy 13.00 -1.00 - - 319.00 227.50 *BG Group 254.00 +6.50 1.2 22.4 630.00 387.00 BP 404.00 +11.50 4.0 26.6 351.00 234.00 Cairn Energy 265.00...

Personal care.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 131.00 61.50 IWP Intl 61.50 9.2 - 63.00 26.50 McBride 59.00 3.6 7.2 957.50 577.50 *PZ Cussons 957.50 +12.50 2.7 14.6 1300.00 915.00 Reckitt Benckiser 1160.00 +20.00 2.2 21.5

Pharmaceuticals.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 379.00 181.00 Acambis 256.00 -2.50 - - 3645.00 1772.00 AstraZeneca 2339.00 +39.00 2.0 19.7 387.50 90.00 Axis-Shield 103.50 +1.00 - - 19.50 2.00 British Biotech 3.00 +0.50 - - 1950.00 419.00 Cambridge...

Property.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 246.00 207.50 *Ashtenne 239.50 +0.50 3.6 44.0 298.00 200.00 *Benchmark 225.00 +2.50 2.2 25.4 631.00 420.00 British Land 452.00 -1.00 2.7 19.1 279.50 206.50 Brixton 230.50 +0.50 4.6 16.9 518.75 300.00...

Other finance.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 446.50 25.50 Aberdeen Asset 42.50 +3.50 24.7 2.3 1120.00 239.00 AMVESCAP 398.50 +14.50 2.9 14.2 133.50 23.50 Brewin Dolphin 25.50 13.7 5.2 502.50 222.50 BWD Securities 244.00 +2.50 7.4 9.4 891.00...

Steel.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 91.50 32.50 Corus 41.00 -1.25 - -

Support services.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 320.00 189.50 AEA Technology 193.50 2.0 - 412.50 102.00 *Aggreko 119.25 +9.00 4.5 8.5 414.00 23.50 *Amey 27.25 +0.75 12.4 11.8 88.00 25.00 Ashtead Group 26.00 13.5 1.8 701.00 48.50 Atkins (WS) 86.50...

Telecoms.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 295.50 151.25 BT Group 182.00 1.1 45.6 395.75 109.50 Cable & Wireless 144.75 +1.75 3.5 - 201.00 25.00 Colt Telecom 33.00 +0.75 - - 337.50 53.00 Easynet Group 67.00 -1.00 - - 505.00 12.50 Fibernet...

Tobacco.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 847.00 520.00 British Am Tobacco 637.00 +8.00 5.2 9.6 725.00 427.00 *Gallaher 629.00 +6.00 4.1 17.1 1186.00 688.10 Imperial Tob 983.00 +13.00 3.6 13.4

Transport.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 77.50 44.50 *Alpha Airports 62.50 5.8 39.7 390.50 284.00 Arriva 305.25 +4.50 5.4 7.2 488.00 367.75 *Ass British Ports 390.00 -10.50 3.7 13.6 553.50 322.50 Autologic 362.50 2.9 8.5 220.00 85.50 Avis...

Water.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) 541.23 313.52 AWG 379.25 -1.75 11.8 11.0 1350.00 1065.00 Bristol Water Hldgs 1105.00 6.1 - 295.50 230.50 East Surrey Hldgs 265.00 5.1 18.1 442.75 337.00 Kelda Group 375.00 -7.00 6.8 10.7 770.00 573.50...

AIM.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) *21812.50 58.50 AIT 63.50 2.0 - 196.50 133.00 *Ask Central 143.50 0.3 12.6 220.00 95.00 Carlisle Hldgs 110.00 - 1.5 *11.50 2.75 Chorion 4.00 8.8 8.2 560.00 195.00 *CODASciSys 215.00 1.4 10.2 ...

Sterling rates.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) CLOSING PREVIOUS ONE MONTH MARKET RATES CLOSING RATES FORWARD RATES

ARC's invisible options.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) It seems the going is about to get tough for Mike Gulett, the chief executive of semiconductor developer ARC International. Market gossips reckon that a number of irate shareholders have clubbed together to form a...

Market forces: Safeway gives back bid gains.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Byline: NEIL HUME Safeway , Britain's fourth biggest grocer, handed back a chunk of its recent bid-inspired gains yesterday amid further concerns about weak trading. Based on the latest market share survey...

Moving down: Moving up.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Price (p) Change Explanation Amvescap 398.50 +14.50 Market warms to restructuring news Diageo 718.00 +41.00 Analysts says Tuesday's fall overdone Prudential 455.50 +13.50 CEO says predicts lower bond...

Just the ticket: The government aims to 'democratise' the lottery to head off campaigns about grants to asylum seekers, but few seem to want to join in.
October 31, 2002... (From The Guardian) Today is the closing date for the public consultation over how the lottery distributors should share out money to good causes. The consultation is open to anyone, from lottery punters to the 100,000 groups that have...