AFX UK at a glance share guide

LONDON (AFX) - Leading shares are tipped to extend recent gains in opening deals, building on Friday's fresh 4-1/2 year closing highs on both sides of the Atlantic, with bid talk and continued strength in metal and oil prices helping to underpin gains, dealers said.
According to spread bettors CMC Markets, the FTSE 100 will open 14 points higher at around 5,746 having closed for the weekend 40.6 points firmer at 5,731.8.

MARKETS
Tokyo: Nikkei closed
Hang Seng 15,560.66 up 216.22

TODAY'S PRESS
* Warning of 150 bln stg black hole in pensions; actuaries say costs could be triple 50 bln stg forecast; call for more conservative accounting methods - FT
* DaimlerChrysler looks at selling off Smart car division if turnround fails - FT
* Knight Vinke Asset Management, the activist shareholder leading the battle against management at media giant VNU, seeking targets among Europe's 100 largest largest companies for its corporate activities in 2006 - FT
* Talks between PILKINGTON and Nippon Sheet Glass continuing, according to people involved in the discussions, contradicting reports that they had been terminated - FT
* Sir Brian Stewart intends to step down as chairman of STANDARD LIFE within 12 months of its forthcoming 5 bln stg flotation to focus on his chairmanship of SCOTTISH & NEWCASTLE - Times
* SABMILLER tipped to win auction for Indian brewery, Mohan Meakin - Times
* CATTLES accused by Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrats' trade and industry spokesman, of exploiting poor with loan rates - Times
* CABLE & WIRELESS boss to finish job 'only half done'; Richard Lapthorne signs for three more years at struggling firm as he gets 1.25 mln stg windfall - Telegraph

PRESS COMMENT
FT
THE LEX COLUMN comments on Media companies (resilience of old media's earnings, coupled with any signs that fear is prompting real action, should trigger a stronger performance in 2006)
Independent
Small Talk: Stephen Foley comments on BLOCK SHIELD (St Jude Medical is using the Block Shield technology - combined with technology from IBM - in a wireless medical device, and IBM reckons that Block Shield's share of the orders will be worth 2 mln usd this year), DATACASH (a trading update will show that the company ended 2005 in line with the market's expectations and will make some positive noises about the prospects for new contracts and business relationships in the coming year), GLOBAL OCEANIC CARRIERS (on course for calmer waters)
Telegraph
AIM MARKET: Alternative energy companies are having a clean sweep (ITM POWER, CERES POWER, POLYFUEL, DOWDING & MILLS, SCREEN TECHNOLOGY, DATONG ELECTRONICS, BLOCK SHIELD

House insurance

Good morning all.

Good Morning all

End-of-day Market Summary