AFX UK at a glance share guide

LONDON (AFX) - Leading shares are expected to start the session a touch higher, with oil heavyweights boosted by the crude price hitting five-week highs, but gains could be capped amid caution ahead of the US Fed's rate decision this evening, dealers said.
According to spreadbetting firm CMC, the FTSE 100 is set to open 5 points higher at around 5507, having closed yesterday 15.9 points lower at 5,501.5.

MARKETS
FTSE 100 5,501.5, down 15.9
FTSE 250 8,491.4, up 12.8
DJIA 10,767.80, down 10.80
Nasdaq Comp 2,260.95, up 4.22
S&P 500 1,260.45, up 1.10
Tokyo: Nikkei closed at 15,778.86, up 40.16
Hang Seng midday: 14,902.31, down 82.09
Gold 537.10 usd (529.75 usd)
Oil - Brent Jan 59.44 usd (57.31 usd)

TODAY'S PRESS
* European Commission will today launch a sweeping plan to liberalise television advertising under the biggest shake-up of European Union broadcasting rules since 1989 - FT
* ConocoPhillips closing in on a deal to buy Burlington Resources for more than 16.9 bln stg, in a move to expands production in North America - FT
* LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE's largest shareholder, Threadneedle Asset Management, signals that Macquarie Bank may have to pay substantially more for the exchange than its indicative bid - FT

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on LLOYDS TSB (since Daniels' arrival, Lloyds has produced a total return slightly in excess of the UK banking sector; currently, trading suggests this modest benchmark continues to be attainable; beating it will require something a little more, well, brilliant), Hedge funds (build-up to Christmas is once again providing salvation for hedge funds), Indian FDI (the impact of foreign direct investment has its limits), French pay-TV (after a deal on pay-TV, the next step for TFI and M6 may be to follow the example of ITV in the UK and throw their weight more fully behind the DTT platform), Conoco/Burlington (James Mulva, Conoco chief executive, has been slow to return recent windfall profits to shareholders; if he spends it on Burlington, he must make a compelling case for why it is a better investment than Conoco's own shares)
Times
Rumour of the day: AEROBOX (talk of 3 mln stg fundraising) - TEMPUS: LLOYDS TSB (income investors should keep on holding), POLAR CAPITAL (buy), ALIZYME (avoid for now)
Independent
THE INVESTMENT COLUMN: REED ELSEVIER (hold), GROUP 4 SECURICOR (buy), AIR MUSIC & MEDIA (avoid)
Telegraph
QUESTOR: COBHAM (buy), ALIZYME (buy), ASOS (sell)
Guardian
HALFORDS (Autobacs Seven stakebuilding talk)
Express
SHARE WHISPER: AXIS-SHIELD (traders anticipate a bullish trading statement in next few days)
Mail
CRAVEN WALKER (lists on AIM this morning)


TRADING STATEMENTS
Bodycote International
Cadbury Schweppes
Gallaher
Johnston Press

OTHER
GUS demerger of 65 pct stake in Burberry comes into effect

Good Morning all,

I've was told tyesterday the "black" cloud can be see from Basingstoke in Hampshire

End-of-day Market Summary