S&P Futures

US indexes plunge for the third day in a row pushing the Dow into the red for the year

Royal & Sun Alliance said that annual profit fell 38 percent to 140 million pounds against estimates of 185 million and said it increased reserves for claims.

McAlpine reported a 20 percent profit rise to 36.2 million pounds that met forecasts and said it hoped to make further progress. Most of the business comes from support services nowadays and the order book is healthy.

Amec engineering posted a 7% rise in profits to 112.5 million pounds, in line with estimates, but said industrial markets continued to be uncertain.

First Choice Holidays said it was trading in line with expectations, with strong winter sales and a significant strengthening in summer bookings.Cattles lender and debt collector said it had made an encouraging start to the year as it posted annual results of 122.7 million pounds at the top of market expectations.Laird Group electronics firm reported an 18 percent rise in annual profit 3to7.4 million and said it had started to see an improvement in some of its markets.

InterContinental Hotels reported a 5.4 percent dip in 2003 profits to 244 million pounds at the top end of forecasts. They added that its hotel trading is improving steadily in America and the UK.

Alvis military vehicle maker said it had agreed a takeover offer by U.S. defence contractor General Dynamics which values it at about 309 million pounds The cash offer is at 280 pence per share upf about 33 percent to the closing price yesterday

Argonaut Games (I), NeuTec Pharma (I) Alfred McAlpine (F), Alvis (F), Amec (F), Amlin (F), Biocompatibles (F), Cattles Holdings (F), Flomerics Group (F), Incisive Media (F), InterContinental Hotels Group (F), Johnson Service Group (F), Laird Group (F), Lambert Howarth Group (F), Royal and Sun Alliance (F), Shire Pharmaceuticals (F), Sportech (F), First Choice (AGM), Lpa Group (AGM)

McDermott Int (Q4), Oracle Corp Oracle (Q3)

National Semiconductor (Q3), El Paso Corp (Q4)

13:30 Import / Export Prices Feb 13:30 Initial Claims 03/06 345K 13:30 Retail Sales Feb - 0.6% 13:30 Retail Sales ex-auto Feb 0.5% 19:00 Treasury Budget Feb -$100.0B

Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank AG(F) Bayerische Motoren-Werke AG Bayerische Motoren-Werke AG sales results K+S AG(F), Salzgitter AG (F) Aixtron AG (F), IDS Scheer AG (F) Celanese AG (F)

Casino Guichard-Perrachon (F)

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