Apologies if any wayward characters such as the backslash appear in the entries.
It is still causing a few problems. The techies are working on it and I\'m assured it
will be rectified very soon....

G.

Friday's market reports:

Telegraph
The Times
The Times (Need to know)
FT
The Guardian
The Independent
This is Money

The Government must suspend a set of key banking regulations at the heart of the current financial crisis or risk seeing the economy spiral towards a future that could "make 1929 look like a walk in the park", one of Britain's leading economists has warned.
Call to relax Basel banking rules

According to one banker: "That is what is likely to happen this time around as well. When more banks start facing failure the authorities will suspend the Basel regulations." With credit markets still looking extremely shaky despite the central bank's decision to pour so much more money into the system, it is a prospect that looks increasingly likely.
Cutting through the normal banking rules

The massive cash injection from the Bank of England, along with funds from its international counterparts, is welcome but too little to calm the fears sweeping money markets.
Banks have $100bn, but no magic wand

The pound fell sharply against the dollar yesterday after a leading member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee said she was unconcerned by a decline in the value of sterling and added that she did not believethe UK was moving back towards a high-inflation environment.
Pound falls on remarks by MPC member

Vikram Pandit, the new chief executive of Citigroup, has put his bank under further financial strain by bringing $49 billion (£24 billion) worth of high-risk off-balance sheet investments onto its books just as new analysis predicts it will need to take a $30 billion writedown on its loan portfolio next year.
Citigroup under more strain as SIVs worth $49bn put on balance sheet

Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan believes the chances that the US economy will enter into a recession in 2008 now stand at 50-50.
Greenspan's US recession warning

Investors took fright this week after the announcement of central bank intervention in the financial system, while fears over rising inflation and slowing growth were heightened by the week’s data releases.
Overview: Central bank action fails to convince

Booming demand for energy from China and the Middle East will drive global oil consumption up 2.5 per cent next year despite the growing threat of a recession in America, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Paris-based energy watchdog said yesterday that it expected global crude oil demand to grow by 2.1 million barrels a day in 2008, 200,000 barrels a day higher than its previous forecast.
Buoyant China expected to lead growing demand for oil

Anthony Bolton, the veteran fund manager at Fidelity International, is calling the bottom for property stocks and considering buying battered-down shares in housebuilders and retail companies.
Fidelity manager puts faith in property stocks as he says share values will build

Hedge funds are beginning to make big bets on a collapse in the share prices of Britain's mid-sized companies. The latest data reveals that the level of "short" positions - bets on falling prices - is now at its highest for three years on stocks in the FTSE250.
Short-selling on FTSE250 at 3-year high

Analysis selection

JSP price 8.40p

Increasing during last week but mainly on results last Thurday

Signs of the share price is on the turning, on what could be a change of direction into UPTREND

Panmure Gordon reiterated its 'buy' rating and 30 pence price target and said: Business is being cleaned up, although there's much more to do - and broker ABN Amro also said: There are some early signs of encouragement

Sales have turned positive for the last three weeks as company has change direction, have stop chasing unprofitable sales, clearing old stock, and into having the right product / product availability and selling them for a profit

TFN economic and business calendar to Friday Dec 28Australian shares close at lowest level in three months on Wall Street retreat

Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Hang Seng ended the morning down 667.10 points at 26,896.54,
while the Nikkei was 0.2% lower at 15,482.15 at the midpoint.

New York\'s main oil contract, light sweet crude for January delivery, was 47 cents
higher at $91.74 a barrel from $91.27 in late US trades Friday.

Happy trading!

G.

Tokyo shares close sharply lower on Wall Street losses, inflation fearsAustralian shares close at lowest level in three months on US retreat - UPDATE

TFN UK calendar and forecasts for today

Thomson Financial UK at a glance share guide - weekend

The Monday Press Roundup

Thomson Financial UK at a glance share guideLondon shares outlook - Weak after hefty NY falls Friday following CPI newsThe Monday Press Roundup

BROKERWATCH Standard Life started as 'neutral' by HSBC, target 300pBROKERWATCH Hammerson upgraded to 'buy' from 'neutral' at UBS

BROKERWATCH Liberty International initiated at Citigroup as 'hold'

BROKERWATCH Rexam cut to 'hold' from 'buy' at Citigroup, target 440 penceTokyo shares close sharply lower on Wall Street losses, inflation fears - UPDATE

BROKERWATCH Reed Elsevier restarted as 'outperform' by Credit Suisse,target 710p

Seems like a quiet news morning as Christmas approaches, or maybe everyone's searching for a bunker to hide in. Glaxo (GSK) has had its Cervarix cancer vaccine delayed by the FDA. 888 has said it's trading in line.

Among the small caps ex-QXL Tradus (TRAD) seems likely to attract some attention after weekend takeover stories in the press, and Western Canadian Coal (WTN) is also supposed to be up for sale at a large premium to its current price. Disappointing results from Photo-Me International (PHTM).

Standard Life (SL.) has been initiated at neutral by HSBC with a 300 target, Hammerson (HMSO) has been upgraded to buy from neutral by UBS, and Liberty International (LII) has been initated at hold with a 1100 target by Citigroup. Rexam (REX) has been downgraded to hold from buy by Citigroup with a 440 target.

FTSE is currently being called at 6313 by CMC - a fall of 84. Dow futures are down 41 at 13,297 after the 178 point fall on Friday. There have been large falls in some Asian markets - notably Australia - where the ASX200 closed down 3.5%.

UK smallcap opening - Fletcher King drops on FY profits warning

UK smallcap opening - Charteris rises on positive update

UK smallcap opening - NSB Retail climbs on agreed Epicor bid