London shares - midmorning features

FTSE 100 risers
Prudential 419 up 9
Rally
Aviva 559 up 4-1/2
'Buy' from 'hold' - Deutsche Bank
AstraZeneca 2,305 up 48
'Equal-weight' from 'underweight' with target upped to 2,240p - Lehman
Legal & General 103-3/4 up 1-3/4
Firm market trend
AMVESCAP 313 up 4-1/2
Firm market trend
Xstrata 868-1/2 up 15-1/2
Commodity prices firm
SABMiller 803-1/2 up 3-1/2
Merrill Lynch 'buy'
Rio Tinto 1,451 up 13
Seymour Pierce reiterates 'outperform'

FTSE 100 fallers
British Airways 215 down 3-3/4
Profit-taking
Marks & Spencer 354-1/2 down 4-3/4
Nervous offerings ahead of interims due Nov 9
Lloyds TSB 433-1/4 down 5-1/2
'Underweight' & switch into HSBC - Morgan Stanley
Next 1,696 down 2
Director sells stock

FTSE 250 risers
Pilkington 95-1/2 up 5-3/4
Arbuthnot/Teather & Greenwood 'buy'; interims
FirstGroup 300 up 11-1/2
Better-than-expected interims; Panmure Gordon reiterates 'buy'
Northgate Information Solutions 67 up 1-1/2
Upbeat trading statement; positive comment in Daily Mail
easyJet 174-1/4 up 3-3/4
Sector consolidation hopes
Chrysalis 177 up 1-1/4
Bridgewell positive
Matalan 229-1/2 up 4-1/4
Interims yesterday
Balfour Beatty 287-3/4 up 5-1/2
Rail prospects
Bovis Homes 544-1/2 up 12-1/2
Hopes that interest rates will be pegged
Bodycote 147-1/2 up 1/2
JP Morgan initiates coverage with 'overweight' & 177 pence target

FTSE 250 fallers
Carphone Warehouse 160-1/4 down 6-3/4
In-line interims triggers profit-taking; JP Morgan stays 'underweight'
First Choice 134 down 1-3/4
Profit-taking
Dairy Crest 358-1/4 down 2-3/4
Interims Nov 10
JD Wetherspoon 232 down 1-3/4
Deutsche Bank 'sell'

Other risers
MOS International 0.97 up 0.11
China order
Maelor 19 up 1-1/2
On track to reach profitability with need for further capital - company
Datamonitor 118-1/2 up 7
Upbeat trading statement
Entertainment Rights 13.87 up 0.75
Company wins intl TV distribution rights for 3 Hasbro series
XTL Biopharmaceuticals 21-3/4 up 1-1/4
New Drug application to FDA
BioProgress 106-1/2 up 4-1/2
Favourable court rulings in dispute with Stanelco
East Surrey 377-1/2 up 2-1/2
Persistent bid speculation
Galahad Gold 13-1/2 up 1/2
Positive Pebble Project assessment

Other fallers
Pittards 23 down 4
Second-half profits warning
Stanelco 4.12 down 0.38
Negative court rulings in dispute with BioProgress
Christian Salvesen 58 down 5
Merger talks with TDG off
TDG 236 down 1/2
Merger talks with Christian Salvesen off
Heywood Williams 83-1/2 down 4
Customer ceases trading
Monterrico Metals 534-1/2 down 24
'Steer clear for the moment' - Daily Telegraph

Morning all.

Bush, are you still president?

A/Noon all, Alas snoball i think the answer is yes.

That's not very nice!

Snoball

My trusted nanny says I am, so I must be!

Maybe i'll get jelly and ice cream for being such a good boy, now can somebody help the FTSE to regain it's rightful place.

Didn't see you there small cap bush, hey ho.

Dunno if I've posted all today's trades.

Closed AQP +4, XAR +2

Longed DTM 117, AXO 137, PDH 225

That should cover it.

no problem Stan
I've had worse!

Big Al. What do you think of BDH at the moment? My son's doing his Christmas shopping on the money he has made on this but taking a bit of a dive at the moment!!!

jj - I am still long, but failed to cash in when I was away last time. It's still on the up longer term so happy to hold, but haven't done well at trading it as should've taken profits at 150p minimum.

I'll be gone on any further fall, more than likely, as the chart looks like it's come as far back as I'd like it given my trading strategy. Considered adding yesterday on what looked like a turn up, but that changed with today's action.

Well done your son! ;-)

Thanks Al - I shall tell Jamie. I had reckoned he was pretty safe hanging on as he had bought in August 03 and as I pay the CGT, he really is on a no lose situation anyway but it was dipping more than I had anticipated and I was beginning to waiver! Just working out what I could request for my Christmas really :-))

Jen

Congratulations Bush.

jj

You pay the CGT? I'd expect a large prezzie!! ;-))

Hope he bought the early part of Aug03. Price currently hovering around 50SMA with 200SMA almost 125p. A close below 135p might not look good, but then I'm more of a trader and not an investor!! Please remember that.

Best of luck with it.

Al
;-)

Al,

I think I should re-word that! Sadly, as he is too young to have an account in his own name, he buys through mine, therefore "his" CGT liability is actually my CGT :-( In practice, the whole agreement has backfired a bit as initially I agreed to cover expenses so he was happy to sell on minimum gain - at least that has been sorted out!! Purchase was end of August but at 91p - in his eyes, still a nice profit. I shall keep track this week as he is not around.

Thanks, Al

jj:-)

jj50, you should split his money into a separate account which can be in your name but designated with his initials, e.g. SMITH J A/C GH . Then you are effectively trustee for his money and he will have his own CGT allowance. No point in giving the tax man more money than necessary!

Kayak,

Didn't realise I could do this. Shall investigate....sounds good though! In your debt again Kayak, thank you!

Kayak

I didn't realise that either and I've been considering how I could start doing stuff for my kids. This is excellent news - thanks.

jj - in anyone's eyes it's a nice profit. Wish I'd seem it back then. ;-)

One post today!!!! Must be very quite on the market front..

Well done Jen and son, sounds like you'll both be having a
good Chrismas :>)