Morning all. And for those that don't know Alan (Greystone) is away on hols for a week(gone to see Santa) so thanks to the very kind anon. stand in:-0)


Mike

nice to see someone else early on the bb cheers woodie

Morning all

MARKETS
FTSE 100 4,733.0, up 1.9
FTSE 250 6,810.9, up 21.0
DJIA 10,759.40, up 97.80
Nasdaq Comp 2,150.91, up 23.06
S&P 500 1,205.43, up 10.77
Tokyo: Nikkei closed at 11,209.44, up 83.52
Hang Seng midday 14,140.04, down 40.75
Gold 441.20 usd (443.25 usd)
Oil - Brent Feb 42.37 usd (42.45 usd)

BREAKING NEWS
* Iraqi insurgents kill 24 in deadliest raid on coalition; rockets tear through base in bloodiest single attack of war; losses overshadow surprise visit by Blair - FT
* HSBC believed to be closing in on a 1.3 bln stg takeover of Korea First Bank - Express
* American do-it-yourself chain Home Depot believed to be poised for an assault on the UK market, with KINGFISHER seen as the most likely target - Mail
* Rock Pacific says it is considering a possible offer for COUNTRYSIDE PROPERTIES, in which it owns a 13.5 pct stake; Rock has rejected Countryside's founding Cherry family's 275 pence-a-share bid - Mail
* Putin hints at China alliance for Yukos oil - FT
* Concern over "cox-2" anti-inflammatory drugs such as Pfizer's Celebrex intensifies after regulators advise 600,000 Britons with heart problems to switch to other treatments - FT
* A merger of the Deutsche Borse and LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE would combine the cash equities businesses of both in a single unit to be managed out of London under terms set by Deutsche Borse in private meetings yesterday - FT
* ITV is planning to reduce the number of US investors holding its shares in a further sign of the growing backlash among European companies against the burden of new US corporate governance legislation - FT
* Icelandic food group Bakkavor puts forward an indicative cash bid worth 662 pence a share for GEEST
* COBHAM to buy US radar technology maker Remec for 135 mln stg - the biggest deal in its history - FT
* Former dotcom high-flyer Robert Bonnier fined a record 290,000 stg by the City watchdog after it finds him guilty of market abuse; after a near-two-year investigation, the Financial Services Authority says Bonnier created a false market in shares in office-rental company REGUS - Express
* Britain's biggest pub landlords, including PUNCH TAVERNS, ENTERPRISE INNS, WOLVERHAMPTON & DUDLEY and GREENE KING, are on a "yellow card" to treat their tenants more fairly, an influential committee of MPs warns - Express

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on rise in S&P 500 index (if forecasts for next year's earnings start shrinking, the S&P will look highly vulnerable), Toyota, Enel/Wind
Express
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY (talk of higher profit margins) - STREAM GROUP (talk of strong trading) - WHO'S DEALING: BAE SYSTEMS (chairman doubles his stake to 40,000 shares) - SHARE WHISPER: MFI (renewed takeover hopes) - BROKER'S VIEW: WOLVERHAMPTON & DUDLEY (Peel Hunt maintains buy support)
Telegraph
QUESTOR: COBHAM (recent weakness looks like a buying opportunity), CHEMRING (looks like a good time to take profits), CARILLION (hold on)
Guardian
WOOLWORTHS (TESCO competition threat) - FLINTSTONE TECHNOLOGIES (talk of Hardide flotation)
Independent
J SAINSBURY (Carrefour bid speculation)

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Choo choo that's a bit more like it, nice bit of upward movement today :-)
Tightened up the stops on my OCO's & now off to Pennyhill Park for a workout. Busy last minute shopping tomorrow/Friday so have an excellent Christmas all!

V

Roger; Have a good Xmas yourself.

Mike