AFX UK at a glance share guide - 2

MARKETS
FTSE 100 5,263.6, up 7.4
FTSE 250 7,554.3, up 61.0
DJIA 10,637.09, up 57.32
Nasdaq Comp 2,186.22, up 10.23
S&P 500 1,236.79, up 5.63
Tokyo: Nikkei 225 11,882.98 up 47.90 (midday)
Hang Seng midday 14,824.10 up 22.24 (midday)
Gold 424.25 usd (424.30)
Oil - Brent Sept 58.01 usd (58.03 usd)

BREAKING NEWS
* ASTRAZENECA chief executive Sir Tom McKillop to announce departure today to
take up RBoS chairmanship - Telegraph
* SHIRE PHARMACEUTICALS faces court battle to seal US takeovers as more than
third of TKT's shareholders demand court fair value review - Independent
* PRUDENTIAL could cash in its chips over EGG stake - Mail
* SANTANDER's Abbey National on target to cut 150 mln stg overheads - FT
* Bank pulls the plug on privately-owned Tiny computers business - Mail
* Rejected MG Rover bidder offers to set up a 40 mln stg fund for suppliers who lost money in the collapsed group, provided the Chinese buyer sells most of the business to him - FT
* SAIC still seeking base in UK despite losing Rover fight - Times
* Hedge funds launched soar to record levels in the first half, with more than 13 bln usd raised in new capital - Times
* Increase in repossessed homes hits 13-year high - Times
* Italy's central bank governor caught plotting to halt takeover - Telegraph

PRESS COMMENT
FT
The Lex Column: BG GROUP (Given the deteriorating risk profile, the height of
the pedestal doubtless owes much to BG's perennial perception as being perfect
takeover target); GRUPO SANTANDER (Given BBVA retains some acquisition risk,
SANTANDER might be the better relative bet); Trade Agreements (The Central
American Free Trade Agreement's struggle has already made it harder to secure
a deal at the World Trade Organisation and that is bad news for an
increasingly vulnerable world economy); FRANCE TELECOM (If, as a last resort,
FRANCE TELECOM simply believes the whole sector is cheap, it should have
bought its own shares, trading on around Amena's multiple)

Times
Rumour of the Day: WYEVALE GARDEN CENTRES (Two US private equity houses said to have offered 620 pence per share for co.) -- Smaller Stock to Watch: ECKOH TECHNOLOGIES -- Tempus: BG GROUP (Company better than most at handling the challenge); UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA (hold); EGG (hold)

Telegraph
Questor: UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA (worth holding on to); Oil (worth remembering that today's oil shortage is tomorrow's glut); WOLFSON MICRO (Hold on)

Independent
Investment Column: BG GROUP (good moment to take profits); BROWN & JACKSON (sell)

Express
Share Whisper: HOMESTYLE (worries that a slowdown in 'big ticket' spending could hit this year's profits) -- Who's Dealing: GALAHAD GOLD (Deputy chairman Jim Slater and family exercise share share subscription rights) -- Market Report: REGAL PETROLEUM (stake-building rumours)

Mail
Market Report: GB GROUP (talk a major blue chip client has signed up for its
software product); ADVFN (Dublin-based private investor Peter O'Reilly increases his stake to over 10 pct); WEATHERLY (rumours Co. is on the verge of acquiring a strategic stake in a Zambian copper mine)

Good morning all. Very wet in North Wales this morning. Hoping the UK market will be better than the weather after a good close in the US last night with S&P 500 closing on a 4 year high.

Good morning all

Good morning LW

good morning optomistic

Premium bonds have increased the interest paid to 3.25% from 3.20% into the "draw fund". There are going to be 1m x 2 in the Aug 01 draw onws.

Maybe I could win them both! LOL ;-)