AFX UK at a glance share guide - 2

MARKETS
FTSE 100 4,902.3, up 19.8
FTSE 250 6,790.7, up 46.7
DJIA 10,340.40, down 44.20
Nasdaq Comp 1,961.80, down 0.43
S&P 500 1,172.10, down 3.55
Tokyo: Nikkei closed at 11,192.17, up 190.06
Hang Seng midday 14,078.51 up 16.81
Gold 429.10 usd (428.32 usd)
Oil - Brent June 51.13 usd (50.97 usd)

BREAKING NEWS
* General Motors and Ford cut to junk; S&P downgrades US carmakers' credit ratings; concern over companies' survival strategies; moves send shares and bonds sharply lower - FT
* Merck chief resigns as US drugs giant feels the pain from withdrawal of Vioxx - FT
* UNILEVER chairman Antony Burgmans soothes investors concern over his tenure by saying that he is prepared to step down well ahead of schedule if the company finds a suitable successor - FT
* Sales of MG Rover cars booming, according to the collapsed carmaker's dwindling network of 300 dealers - FT
* Evraz Holding, one of Russia's biggest steel producers, will today unveil plans to float on the London Stock Exchange, which it expects to raise more than 263 mln stg - FT
* GUS unveils a 174 mln stg add-on to its Experian consumer credit data business - FT
* MICROGEN not raising its offer for ATTENTIV SYSTEMS
* SHELL and BASF sell a plastics joint venture in a deal worth 3 bln stg; buyers were New York Access Industries and Chattterjee
* Lions Gate International drops HIT ENTERTAINMENT bid
* Tax bill fears could derail bid for ALLIED DOMECQ - Mail

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on Standard & Poor's downgrade of General Motors and Ford, Merck, ICI (could be broken up easily; but private equity players unlikely to be tempted by a target where net debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation still exceeds 100 pct), Equity markets
Express
CABLE & WIRELESS (bid speculation) - VISUAL DEFENCE (traders anticipate a strong debut today) - SHARE WHISPER: UNITED CLEARING (hopes of positive feedback from a forthcoming round of presentations to brokers and institutions) - WHO'S DEALING: ADVANCED MEDICAL SOLUTIONS (chairman takes holding to 0.51 pct)
Independent
THE INVESTMENT COLUMN: TRINITY MIRROR (worth holding for now, but offer limited upside), MAYBORN GROUP (buy), CATTLES (a prime buying opportunity)
Guardian
KINGFISHER (Home Depot bid talk again)
Telegraph
QUESTOR: ICI (worth holding on to), CHRYSALIS (it would be a brave investor who bets that the price has bottomed out), DAIRY CREST (worth a look)
Times
RUMOUR OF THE DAY: BIZSPACE (talk that the revaluation of its property portfolio will show a net asset value of at least 60 pence) - DIRECTORS' DEALINGS: ADVANCED MEDICAL SOLUTIONS (director buys 49,836 shares at 8.91 pence) - TEMPUS: MERSEY DOCKS & HARBOUR (sell), ICI (avoid), SECURITIES TRUST OF SCOTLAND (shareholders should back the PERPETUAL INCOME AND GROWTH INVESTMENT TRUST offer)
Mail
SAVILLS (CALEDONIA INVESTMENTS acquires 3.8 pct) - DAT GROUP (rumours suggest a product launch is imminent)
INVESTORS CHRONICLE
Mining top picks: CONSOLIDATED MINERALS, PETER HAMBRO MINING, FIRST QUANTUM; BEST EMERGING MARKET PICKS: EUROPEAN NICKEL, GOLDEN PROSPECT, MONTERRICO, MANO RIVER, AFRICAN EAGLE, ZAMBEZI; WHAT NOT TO PICK: ZARI RESOURCES, ZAREBA RESOURCES, CHURCHILL MINING, HIGHLAND - TIPS - LARGE COMPANIES: RANK (buy), COUNTRYWIDE (sell), TRIBAL (buy); TIPS - SMALLER COMPANIES: NIPSON DIGITAL PRINTING (buy), CRC (buy), EUROPA OIL & GAS (buy); TIPS UPDATE: CORUS (fairly priced), DEBT FREE DIRECT (buy), CENTER PARCS (hold), CARPETRIGHT (still look high enough), WYEVALE (high enough)

Good morning all.

Good morning all

LONDON (AFX) - The following is a compilation of results for UK companies due out in the two weeks to May 20.

TUESDAY MAY 10
BG Group PLC first quarter operating profit 468 mln stg vs 330 mln.

N Brown Group PLC year to February pretax profit before exceptionals and goodwill 43.7 mln stg vs 49.1 mln; total dividend 5.84 pence, unchanged.

WEDNESDAY MAY 11
John David Group PLC. Baird Equities forecasts year to January pretax profit 12.6 mln stg vs 6.0 mln; total dividend 6.8 pence vs 6.5.

First Group PLC year to March pretax profit before exceptionals and goodwill 166 vs 161.3 mln; total dividend 12.8 pence vs 11.65.

THURSDAY MAY 12
BOC PLC. William de Broe forecasts second quarter pretax profit 132.8 mln stg vs 118.2 mln; total dividend 25.5 pence, up 4 pct.

International Power PLC. William de Broe forecasts first quarter pretax profit 98 mln stg vs 51 mln.

Royal & Sun Alliance PLC. William de Broe forecasts first quarter operating profit 150 mln stg. No IFRS comparable.

FRIDAY MAY 13
British Airways PLC year to March pretax profit 366-410 mln stg vs 230 mln; operating profit 505-535 mln stg vs 405 mln.

TUESDAY MAY 17
BAA PLC year to March pretax profit 576-621 mln stg vs 536 mln; total dividend 21.0 pence, up 5 pct.

Enterprise Inns PLC. William de Broe forecasts six months to March pretax profit 142 mln stg vs 94 mln; interim dividend 5.0 pence, up 40 pct.

Viridian Group PLC year to March pretax profit 94-106 mln stg vs 87.5 mln; total dividend 35.01 pence, up 4 pct.

VT Group PLC. Williams de Broe forecasts year to March pretax profit 51.7 mln stg vs 46.2 mln; total dividend 9.5 pence vs 9.0.

VT Group PLC year to March pretax profit 51-52 mln stg vs 46.2 mln; total dividend 9.5 pence, up 6 pct.

WEDNESDAY MAY 18
Compass Group PLC. William de Broe forecasts six months to March pretax profit 257 mln stg vs 283 mln; interim dividend 3.3 pence, up 5 pct.

O2 PLC year to March pretax profit 319-796 mln stg vs 376 mln; maiden dividend 2.0 pence.

Scottish & Southern Energy PLC year to March pretax profit 681-704 mln stg vs 619.9 mln; total dividend 40.72 pence, up 8 pct.

THURSDAY MAY 19
BPB PLC year to May pretax profit 285-288 mln stg vs 222.8 mln; total dividend 15.6 pence, up 10 pct.

BT Group PLC year to May pretax profit 2.02-2.06 bln stg vs 2.02 bln; total dividend 10.2 pence, up 20 pct.

Invensys PLC year to March pretax profit 160-180 mln stg vs 204 mln; total dividend nil.

Mitchells & Butlers. William de Broe forecasts six months to March pretax profit 80 mln stg vs 88 mln; interim dividend 3.1 pence, up 10 pct.

National Grid PLC year to March pretax profit 1.43-1.50 bln stg vs 1.39 bln; total dividend 23.70 pence, up 20 pct.

SABMiller PLC. William de Broe forecasts year to March pretax profit 2.03 bln usd vs 1.76 bln.

FRIDAY MAY 20
Wolverhampton & Dudley PLC six months to March pretax profit 35.2 mln stg vs 31.7 mln; interim dividend 13.2 pence, up 10 pct.