AFX UK at a glance share guide - 2

MARKETS
FTSE 100 4,789.4, down 56.1
FTSE 250 6,828.7, down 125.0
DJIA 10,198.80, up 47.70
Nasdaq Comp 1,930.43, up 2.99
S&P 500 1,156.40, up 4.65
Tokyo: Nikkei closed at 11,008.90, up 3.48
Hang Seng midday 13,891.36, up 51.72
Gold 432.80 usd (435.97 usd)
Oil - Brent June 52.29 usd (54.14 usd)

BREAKING NEWS
* Blow to Blair over Iraq war; legal advice suggests invasion may have been illegal; Tories say gross deception has taken place; Law officer stands his ground - FT
* Brown-Forman joins Constellation Brands in approach to Allied Domecq
* ALLIED DOMECQ says it has been approached by a consortium led by Constellation Brands of the US to discuss a potential counter-offer for the UK drinks company, which last week agreed to be acquired by Pernod in a 7.5 bln stg deal - FT
* DIAGEO may join bid wars for ALLIED DOMECQ - Times
* ALLIED DOMECQ opens talks with US bidders over break-up bid; DIAGEO expects to continue to evaluate opportunities to make acquisitions - Independent
* Electronic information providers, Bloomberg and Thomson Financial, steal market share and revenues from REUTERS in the 3.6 bln stg real-time market data industry - FT
* Labour facing National Audit Office investigations into two contentious spending decisions made by the Ministry of Defence in the run up to the general election - Telegraph
* JENNINGS BROTHERS agrees to offer from WOLVERHAMPTON & DUDLEY BREWERIES
* ITV beats Australian bank Macquarie to buy digital TV provider SDN for up to 149 mln stg from UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA and Welsh broadcaster S4C - Mail
* EXEL sells its Cory Environmental waste disposal arm to Montagu for 205 mln stg

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on KINGFISHER (in spite of the outlook, the stock has strong relative attractions), Volatility, High-yield debt, Fiat (the equity story remains unenticing) - LEGAL & GENERAL (investors should be aware of L&G's need for capital and the risks of changing chief executive) - EGG (a potential bidder might pay up to 138 pence but is highly unlikely to pay the 200 pence being mooted last year) - GRESHAM COMPUTING (look like a buying opportunity)
Mail
NICHE GROUP (worth keeping an eye on)
Express
ZAREBA (rehashed gossip about a deal) - RESTAURANT GROUP (talk of large overhang of stock) - SHARE WHISPER: TOREX RETAIL (hopes for a bullish AGM statement today) - WHO'S DEALING: BIRMINGHAM CITY (Managing director exercises options over and selling 690,000 shares at 22 pence)
Times
ID DATA (talk it is seeking to raise up to 5 mln stg to bolster working capital and redeem convertible stock) - DIRECTORS' DEALINGS: BENFIELD GROUP (chief executive sells stock for 455,000 stg) - TEMPUS: EGG (avoid), DERWENT VALLEY (it would be wise to lock in at least some of the gains), WOLVERHAMPTON & DUDLEY BREWERIES (hold)
Telegraph
QUESTOR: EXEL (hold), EGG (avoid), GRESHAM COMPUTING (worth a look)
Guardian
WHITE NILE (trading expected to resume in next two to three weeks) - COAL INTERNATIONAL (starts trading this morning at 75 pence)
Independent
THE INVESTMENT COLUMN: RANK GROUP (hold on to the shares for the payout, the casino prospects and the hope of a Deluxe exit), SCOTTY GROUP (seems no compelling reason to cling on), WYEVALE GARDEN CENTRES (at 485 pence,buy) - ELAN (buoyed by hopes of large-scale cost cuts) - ASIA ENERGY (rumours it is planning a major fundraising at about 570 pence) - FILTRONIC (suggestions that trading is weakening)
The Shares Magazine
The Ten Commandments for Successful Investing (shares mentioned include NSB RETAIL, ASIA ENERGY and PETARDS); The Plays of the Week: buy EGDON RESOURCES, SPEEDY HIRE, SIRIUS FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS; Updates: sell QUADNETICS GROUP, ESERVE GLOBAL and PARITY; Favourite Five Small Shares: DESIRE PETROLEUM, INDITHERM, PURSUIT DYNAMICS, DELTEX MEDICAL, TRIPLEARC

Morning all.

Good morning all

Morning all.