S&P Futures

US stocks, Despite a profit warning from Nokia and a 1% fall on the Nasdaq the Dow closed nearly unchanged. After the close US Alcoa aluminium kicked off the earnings season with results that failed to meet expectations. General Electric rose after the bell after it won the contract to supply Boeing with engines for its proposed 7E7 jetliner.  BskyB raised to overweight this morning.

SkyePharma said it was due to receive a $5 million milestone payment from Endo Pharmaceuticals after the successful clinical trial of a new anaesthetic.

EasyJet reported a 16.6 percent rise in March passenger traffic, reflecting new routes and the recovery in demand after the Iraq war

PHS Group washroom services said it expected a 21 percent rise in annual profit to around 50 million after a strong performance at its washrooms and crate rentals businesses.

Rolls-Royce was named along with General Electric on Tuesday to supply engines for the proposed 7E7, which would be the first all-new plane offered by Boeing in a decade

Austin Reed sales were flat in the first nine weeks of the financial year, they reported profit of 1.2 million pounds for the year down from 7.5 million. Annual sales fell 4.2 percent to 111.9 million pounds.

James Beattie (F), Brammer (F), Kiln (F)

Huveaux (AGM), Rio Tinto (AGM)

EasyJet (Traffic Update)

Abbott Laboratories Q1, Yahoo

13:30 Export Prices ex-ag. Mar - 0.6% - 13:30 Import Prices ex-oil Mar - 0.4% 20:00 Consumer Credit Feb - $14.3B

Carrefour SA Q1 Sodexho Alliance SA H1

Ex Dividend: Davis Service Group 10.60p (375.00), Provident Financial 19.90p (734.50), Pittards 0.50p (48.00), WH Ireland Group 0.75p (78.50), Photo-Scan 3.90p (118.50), Atlantic Global 0.70p (70.00), NEX (17.5p); RNK (9.3p); IMI (9.5p).