covered BLND +4

London shares - midmorning features

FTSE 100 risers
William Hill 546-1/2 up 13-1/2
Government rumoured to be considering more lenient FOBT ruling
British Land 823-1/2 up 10-1/2
Development pact with Marconi
mm02 122-1/2 up 1-1/2
Recent new 3G launch; CSFB positive
Smith & Nephew 545 up 6-1/2
Sector consolidation hopes
Compass Group 233 up 2
Vague takeover hopes
Barclays 546-1/2 up 1-1/2
CSFB reiterates 'outperform'

FTSE 100 fallers
Rio Tinto 1,434 down 40
'Sell' from 'hold' - Deutsche Bank
Anglo American 1,181 down 24
Merrill Lynch removes from Europe 1 list
BAE Systems 238-3/4
Saab stake to be cut; to cede control of Gripen jet fighter export venture
Standard Chartered 959-1/2 down 22-1/2
Cost concerns weigh - trading statement
Corus Group 52-3/4 down 1
Worries about Chinese demand
BP 506-1/2 down 7-1/2
Goldman Sachs prefers Shell
Allied Domecq 505-3/4 down 1-1/4
Teather & Greenwood 'sell'
Aviva 602 down 6-1/2
'Neutral' from 'buy' - UBS

FTSE 250 risers
Stagecoach 107 up 6-3/4
H1 profits top expectations; CSFB reiterates 'outperform' with 110p target
Travis Perkins 1,560 up 71
Wickes acquisition hopes
Kidde 158-1/4 up 4-1/4
United Technologies reportedly rekindles takeover talks
Crest Nicholson 347 up 4
Speculation co is to sell most of its landbank and return proceeds to hldrs
Northumbrian Water 162-1/2 up 1-1/2
Post-interim press comment
Associated British Ports 478-1/4 up 2-1/2
Arbuthnot Securities reviewing its 'sell' rating
Mersey Docks 940 up 6
Arbuthnot 'buy'
Kelda Group 566-1/2 up 3
H1 up 8.2 pct; no plans to bid for Northumbrian; Williams de Broe 'buy'
First Choice 142 up 1
Results Dec 14; Teather & Greenwood reiterate 'buy'

FTSE 250 fallers
Cobham 1,335 down 109
Weak Aerospace margins - trading statement
Meggitt 249-1/2 down 9-3/4
With Cobham
LogicaCMG 187-1/4 down 2-3/4
Morgan Stanley reiterates 'underweight'
Balfour Beatty 303-1/4 down 2-1/2
Morgan Stanley initiates coverage with 'underweight' & 273 pence target
PHS Group 76 down 1-3/4
Profit-taking after yesterday's interims
French Connection 243-3/4 down 1-1/4
Evolution 'reduce'
WH Smith 301 down 2-3/4
Evolution Securities 'reduce'
Tate & Lyle 478 down 4-3/4
Profit-taking; Panmure Gordon 'sell' with 395 pence target

Other risers
World TV 1.37 up 0.25
Talk of contract win; seller cleared out
Mediwatch 6.87 up 1.12
Legal issues regarding equipment distribution to US settled
Chaco Resources 2.55 up 0.18
Interim results
Armour Group 72-1/2 up 5
Upbeat AGM statement
Warthog 0.82 up 0.05
Talk of Microsoft bid for Warthog stakeholder Tiger telematics
Bright Things 71-1/2 up 2-1/2
Entertainment Rights deal
West Bromwich 7,150 up 250
93.4 pct of West Bromwich Albion shares accepted in offer
Fortune Oil 8.37 up 0.25
New natural gas joint venture
Deltex Medical 28-1/4 up 1/4
German distributor appointed

Other fallers
Medisys 5.87 down 1.03
Margins threat offsets narrowing full-year losses
Screen 1.87 down 0.25
Rights issue fears
India Outsourcing 21.00 down 2.50
Profit-taking after recent buoyant AIM debut

I see the trend of putting the boot in the mining stocks
hasn't lost it's appeal today...
:>(

Long MPH - nice hammer and possibly way oversold.

Afternoon Big Al!
Hope you are making some money today :>)
Be Lucky!!!!!! (buy you a beer when you're next in the tea-rooms)

Howdy, bunny. You still on the Lemsips?

It's all a bit flat.

Yes I'm still taking the tablets Big Al LOL!!
Just bought some more RRS - med. investment timetable,but short term
turn around if it's possible.....It will either prove to be a magic
stroke or prove I'm gutton for punishment!
;>)

Just seen the Rio downgrade and wondered about a bounce trade....then remembered It's a mining stock(raised eyebrows)!

The miners have got more bounce in them - up and down- currently
then a trampoline factory - I'll take me chances Stan :>)

Could be right SB, price coming back I see.

I know - quick cartwheel across the dealing floor!
:>)