S&P Futures

Big falls in Asia overnight on concerns over the rise in oil prices and U.S. interest rates worries.

The DOW Jones could test the 10,000 level in trading today.

Marks & Spencer, Luc Vandevelde will step down as chairman following criticism he is not spending enough time on the job

Securicor said it had maintained its good start to the year as it reported a 10.5 percent rise in underlying first-half profit to 39.0 million

Ebookers online travel agency said sales in the first quarter rose 47 percent to 160 million with and a profit of 1.3 million pounds up from a loss of 4.9 in the same period a year ago. They also said that 270 jobs would be cut in Europe and India as part of a cost-cutting programme saving the company around 2.5 million pounds and they were increasingly confident of the year ahead.

3i Group, A string of U.S. investment banks and private equity houses are looking at a possible five billion pound bid for the company according to the Sunday Express

Balfour Beatty says it has won United States road construction contracts worth more than $200 million.

Canary Wharf, Investors owning about 13 percent of plan to reject both rival bids in the 1.7 billion pound takeover battle for the property firm

Bunzl has bought French cleaning and safety products distributor Groupe Pierre Le Goff for 236 million euros

Aggregate said it would buy U.S. construction firm Frehner for $95.8 million

Chrysalis said its first-half revenues were flat, and profit fell to 2.2 million pounds from 7.6 million pounds mainly due to the disposal of its television unit last year. SMG said it had agreed to sell its 25 percent stake in breakfast television firm GMTV Ltd to ITV Plc for 31 million pounds

 Chrysalis Group (I), Diploma (I), Securicor (I), Windsor (I) Bizspace (F), CryptoLogic (F), Centrica (AGM)April PPI (08:30), BRC April Retail Sales Monitor (17:30)

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Pre Market Futures

FTSE -50

DAX-60

DOW-71

S&P-7.7

Nasdaq-17

Sunday Newspapers 

Some of the City's biggest investment banks are believed to have approached the Government to seek a mandate to privatise Royal Mail within the next year to 18 months.

The board of Abbey National is debating whether to reopen talks with Spains Banco Santander Central Hispano (BSCH), and in effect hold an auction of Britains sixth-biggest bank. The BSCH approach, made six weeks ago and described as a serious offer of intent, comes at a time when there are growing fears that Abbeys recovery is stalling.

SUNDAY TIMES Jurys Doyle executives pay 20m for Travelodge Ireland Abbey board to reconsider serious offer by Spanish bank Regus under fire over 59m exec share plan Dixons tunes up for Napster deal BAE loses its battle with government Cox joins the top table as BP prepares for life after Browne Scotland: Clyde yards on brink as BAE ditched BAE row over Eurofighters rising costs

Lloyds, How bad are Britain's big banks? LSE: Where have all the plcs gone? N Brown Foreigners should create jobs - not clean our loos

Sharewatch: Sibir Energy

Prufrock: Price is right says Fred for RBSs new HQ RBS How bad are Britain's big banks? Judgment Day: Should you buy shares in United Drug? N Brown From rag trade to rich peer of the realm Directors' Deals: Incisive Media bosses cut their holdings I'm leaving Lloyds after more than 20 years' Sharewatch: Matalan HSBC How bad are Britain's big banks? Judgment Day: Should you buy shares in National Express? Barclays How bad are Britain's big banks? WPP Global optimism to spur ad boom  

GlaxoSmithKline, Uneasy truce over 'fat cat' pay BT needs a corporate bifurcation Dixons, Time to pull the plug on an ageing brand?

Pursuit Dynamics dive probe Dixons ready to change name

OBSERVER  BT may face 15bn takeover Ritblat junior turns down top job at British Land The Big Food Group set to table bid for Londis Shell halts crucial Sakhalin pipeline project Pirc targets Smith and Nephew pay

Barclays The world on his shoulders Amec, Knight in the Iraqi inferno Break up the BT monster Tesco Specialists all over the shop as Big Two bite

MAIL ON SUNDAY Royal Mail poised for flotation, Billions for Government 10m dividend suits Paul Smith, Designer fashions bumper payment Abbey in lead, chased by Spanish bank BAE's secret plans to sell shipyards, Group approached three companies Coffee shops to plug Dixons gap, Nero targets High Street sites Superstores hit Matalan profits, Figures expected to be halved Can Leighton letter save Royal Mail?, Reaction follows scathing documentary 635,000 legal bill for The Plumber, High Court rules for shareholders Tax probe order for Chelsea boss, Russian watchdog summons Abramovich Londis fight isn't over, says BFG, 'Don't rule us out of a bid'

Telegraph bidders get more time, Bank to extend takeover deadline Tullow Oil poised for Africa bid, Share placing to raise 100m Dutch minority block Shell reform, Pressure to overhaul board structure Fury over Man U boss's share sale, 'It's outrageous,' say angry fans Newcomer to snap up restaurants, Urban Dining heading for Aim New jet to give Rolls a boost, Firm on course for Dreamliner orders Robosapien to strengthen Character, Hopes pinned on dancing robot Brighter outlook for ML PlaneStation to sell festival site, Plan to bring back chief executive Baltimore faces knife-edge vote, D-day looms for the management

INDEPENDENT BAE threatens ministers: back us or we quit aircraft carrier deal RBS director charged with misuse of funds Watchdog shakes up oil audits in the wake of Shell scandal

Freeserve, Wanadoo and the raspberry revolution The BAE rockers need to give up fighting the MoD

SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY Out of fashion Matalan set for profits slump HBOS to buy 150m property portfolio Baltimore vote 'will go down to the wire'  

Fund scandal set to cost Amvescap more than a fine Good times ahead as broadband-fuelled Thus hits its targets

INVESTORS CHRONICLE Tips: Buy National Express (NEX) at 688p- McCarthy & Stone (MCTY) at 575p - North Midland Construction (NMD) at 127p - Bond International Software (BDI) at 45p - Conister Trust (CTU) at 29p. Sell Eidos (EID) at 173p.Updates: Buy Quarto (QRT) and BP (BP) - Sell Manchester United (MNU) - African Diamonds (AFD) are high enough.- Antisoma - (ASM) is fairly priced.Company Results: Sell WH Smith (SMWH).

SHARES MAGAZINE Plays of the Week: Buy Robotic Technologies (RTS) at 50p - Surfcontrol (SRF) at 606p - British Energy (BGY) at 9.74p - Regal Petroleum (RPT) at 367p.Updates: Buy Aveva (AVV) and ASOS (ASC).The Best of the Dollar Earners: Amvescap (AVZ) - Pearson (PSON) - Diageo (DGE) - Tomkins (TOMK) - Wolseley (WOS).

David@SnappyTrader.com   www.SnappyTrader.com