AFX UK at a glance share guide - 2

MARKETS
FTSE 100 4,875.4, down 17.0
FTSE 250 6,743.4, down 1.5
DJIA 10,300.30, up 19.20
Nasdaq Comp 1,971.55, up 8.78
S&P 500 1,171.10, up 4.90
Tokyo: Nikkei closed at 11,077.94, down 42.76
Hang Seng midday 13,965.32, up 25.52
Gold 427.37 usd (427.70 usd)
Oil - Brent June 50.07 usd (51.43 usd)

BREAKING NEWS
* Euro MPs' blow to Blair on work hours; Strasbourg votes to axe Britain's right to opt out - FT
* US Senate committee names George Galloway, the maverick leftwing MP re-elected to parliament last week, as recipient of Saddam oil payments - FT
* LASTMINUTE rise nearly 48 pct after Sabre Holdings, US travel group that owns Travelocity, makes takeover approach that could value it at more than 500 mln stg
* Enginering consultancy RICARDO recruited by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation to provide engineering research and development it had wanted from MG Rover - FT
* Iran raises crude oil export prices sharply in the latest Gulf producers' move that could curtail the recent easing - FT
* John Wardle and David Makin, founders of JOHN DAVID GROUP, trigger a 100 mln stg agreed takeover of the sports retailer after selling their 45 pct stake in the company to Pentland
* CMG betting group aims for FTSE 250 listing - Telegraph
* Thousands of former MG Rover workers face losing their pension because the carmaker's main retirement plan is not eligible for a government rescue scheme - Times

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on Hedge Funds (liquidity they provide, together with their increasing sophistication, is reason enough not to crow, or fret, about a short-term stumble), ALLIED DOMECQ/Pernod, Maersk/P&O Nedlloyd, Eastman Kodak - DIXONS (given the risks, the slight discount to the sector is probably not quite big enough) - FIRSTGROUP (share price unlikely to move until the company's rail franchises are secure)
Mail
DATACASH (Investec buy) - WHITTARD OF CHELSEA (thirsty bears adamant that a heavily-discounted rights issue is brewing)
Telegraph
QUESTOR: FIRSTGROUP (a dull hold), SOMERFIELD (take profits), STERLING ENERGY (avoid) - JJB SPORTS (renewed worries that chairman Dave Whelan may reduce his holding)
Times
DIRECTORS' DEALINGS: URBAN DINING (chief executive buys stock worth 45,000 stg) - TEMPUS: DIXONS (hold), FIRSTGROUP (hold with confidence), STERLING ENERGY (buy)
Guardian
HOMESTYLE (traders believe Steinhoff International Holdings, a 1.3 bln stg South African furniture company, has been lined up to underwrite a rights issue, which is likely to be significantly in excess of the 40-50 mln stg expected by City analysts) - FOSECO (to make debut this morning) - ASOS (rumours that a positive trading update will be published in the next few weeks)
Independent
THE INVESTMENT COLUMN: DIMENSION DATA (stick with it), PHYTOPHARM (wait), WEIR GROUP (look worth holding) - WILLIAM MORRISON SUPERMARKETS (rumours that another profits warning could be on the way)
Express
TELIT COMMUNICATIONS (speculation of a contract win with a European mobile handset maker) - SEVERFIELD-ROWEN (talk of a stock overhang) - SHARE WHISPER: CLAIMS PEOPLE GROUP (known to be on the acquisition trail and has hinted it could spend about 7 mln stg on deals) - WHO'S DEALING: ASSOCIATED BRITISH PORTS (chief executive picks up 10,000 shares at 462 pence)

TRAVELOCITY EUROPE IN RECOMMENDED CASH OFFER FOR LASTMINUTE.COM AT 165P/SHARE

INDEPENDENT NEWS & MEDIA UPGRADED TO 'BUY' FROM 'ADD' BY ABN AMRO

Good morning all. Lastminute.com shareholders have done well.!!! Nearly 48% !!! rise mentioned in Breaking News above.

Good morning all

If you haven't already entered, take a look at page 41 of this week's Shares magazine for the chance of winning a great prize thanks to Peter Webb.

The hot product at this years gathering of the Buffett faithful was the Berkshire Hathaway Monopoly game currently worth $46 according to the latest
bidding on eBay.

G.