Outlook

STANDARD CHARTERED DOWNGRADED TO 'NEUTRAL' FROM 'BUY' BY UBS, TARGET 1,400P

CSTL talks finished

LONDON (AFX) - UK blue chips are expected to open higher, boosted by the pre-Thanksgiving rally in the US and easing oil prices, dealers said.
According to spread-betting firm IG Index, the FTSE 100 is set to open 4 points higher, after closing yesterday up 14.5 points at 5,531.7.
Gains among pharmaceuticals helped stave off pressure from falling oil stocks.

MARKETS
FTSE 100 5,531.7, up 14.5
FTSE 250 8,306.5, up 60.7
DJIA 10,916.10, up 44.70
Nasdaq Comp 2,259.98, up 6.42
S&P 500 1,265.60, up 4.35
Tokyo: Nikkei closed at 14,742.58, up 34.26
Hang Seng midday 15,065.25, up 2.90
Gold 489.95 usd (491.25 usd)
Oil - Brent Jan 56.21 usd (56.41 usd)

TODAY'S PRESS
* Innovata, the company that was formed this year out of the merger of ML LABORATORIES and QUADRANT, emerges as the mystery suitor for SKYEPHARMA - The Times
* FSA thought to be investigating a surge in EMI shares, sparked by rumours that a bid will soon be tabled - Independent
* Ministers draw up emergency gas plans; DTI to advise companies on supply shortages - FT
* Brown warns Turner that real value of pension credit could fall after 2008 - FT
* Serious Fraud Office launches a preliminary examination of the activities of COMPASS, the contract caterer embroiled in investigations in the US into alleged corrupt buying practices at the United Nations - FT
* Former COMPASS executive 'fixed secret deal'; 'improper conduct linked to UN supply contracts limited to three mavericks' - Telegraph
* TESCO has captured more than half the growth in the grocery market over the past five years; analysts Verdict says the retailer now has almost twice the market share of the nearest competitor - FT

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on DSG INTERNATIONAL (for now, the best to be said is that DSG is holding the line at home and has enough cash to maintain its sector and market-beating dividend yield), Arcelor/Dofasco (price looks too high - eben before the possibility that Arcelor may have to sweeten the bid), Wind/LBOs (Wind and its banks have done well; debt investors, less so), Fortis (if his targets start to slip out of reach, new chief executive Jean-Paul Votron may be tempted into a big merger), Santander/Sovereign (strategic case for entering the highly competitive banking market in the north-eastern US remains underwhelming), Samsung Electronics (the chip business is a famously bumpy one; for now, however, Apple is still music to Samsuung's ears)
Times
Rumour of the day: KP RENEWABLES (word it is close to unveiling its first deal) - Directors' dealings: LOK'N STORE (chairman sells stock for 154,000 stg) - EMI (speculation of a 300 pence a share offer from Warner Music) - TEMPUS: JOHNSON MATTHEY (worth holding), RADSTONE TECHNOLOGY (weakness provides buying opportunity), CREST NICHOLSON (buy)
Mail
BETEX (China benefits)
Express
SHARE WHISPER: COOKSON (rumours a predator is mulling a 500 pence-a-share approach)
Independent
THE INVESTMENT COLUMN: JOHNSON MATTHEY (buy), TOMKINS (avoid), LAND OF LEATHER (avoid)
Telegraph
QUESTOR: DSG INTERNATIONAL (worth holding for the dividend), ANGLO IRISH BANK (buy for those who haven't done so already), JOHNSON MATTHEY (worth holding)

Good morning all.

Good Morning all

Anyone watching any particular share prices today (and are prepared to admit to it!)

All quiet I see!

I'm watching SOR, have been for the last week - waiting for it to double in price lol!!

Although its nice to see it crept up, behind the scenes action - as no share movements are being reported yet.....

Midday Market Summary

2 buys, little woman - and up she went ;)

so I noticed - doesn't take much, although it doesn't seem to drop much with the "sells" ....

End-of-day Market Summary