Morning punters!

News wires on the blink - few links.

BAA - H1 numbers look well on traget
http://www.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/20041102070000PDA45.html

PNA - don't seem overly good with half performing well and the rest weak.

MTN - wouldn't say they're sparkiling, but who cares with potential bidders out there? ;-)

MOR - trading update shows nothing to write home about. Integration of Diagonal proceeding as planned.

UMC - meets forecasts.

CGR - brief AGM statement in line

RAC - transferred Leyland parts contract

RYA - seem to have beaten forecasts. Not hedging oil at these prices. Sector will fly anyway on lower oil.

NWF - disposal and acquisition. Helluva chart!

EAS - these deals been coming regularly
http://www.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/20041102073000P0775.html

ETR - trading in line

GPOR - sells freehold at better than book value

PFD - update on last month's Bury St Ed fire. Branston pickle should resume production within 3 weeks so that's a relief!! ;-)

QA. - making a comeback?

HNR/ROC - Mauritania updates give nothing new.

MCB - AGM statement looks OK.

Tricky to dig out much today with no RNS news coming across. Luckily DJ seems to be spitting it out.

Have a good election day!

Morning Guys & dolls, i don't like the new look home page, what do you lot think?

Morning all.

aldwickk - I thought the homepage was an error, sometimes Citywire appears like that till it corrects itself!!!

jj50/aldwikk,

The home page has been updated as we felt it was getting a little 'tired' after nearly 2 years in service. Thank you for your feedback,

Regards

Ian

It's even better after a few glasses of wine..........

Ian - I think it looks a little more disorganised, harder to spot stuff immediately.

Big Al,

We though it looked more organised :) and more modern for want of a better word - thanks for the feedback though.

Ian

That was what the Roayl Mail thought.

Yes, but the Royal Mail is being run like the old England Football Team.........

Ian - I might get used to it. Blue charts are better than orange ones, though! ;-))

Big Al,

See there is always a positive :) Give it a few weeks, I am sure it will grow on you,

Ian

Sorry Ian, didn't mean to criticise - shall give it due consideration :-))

jj50,

No problem - did not take it as criticism, all feedback be it positive or negative is always welcome - it is one of the ways we know if we are doing things rightly or wrongly.

Ian

Long a few XAR

Today's UK, European broker recommendations

LONDON (AFX) - UK and European brokers' recommendations issued today, as collated by AFX News from a range of market sources.


MERRILL LYNCH
Downgrade Neutral from buy Carlsberg, cuts fair value to 299 dkr from 340, reduces estimates -- Downgrade Neutral from buy Beru

DRESDNER KLEINWORT
Upgrade Add from hold Ryanair

LEHMAN
Downgrade Equal-weight from overweight International Power, target 165 pence, valuation call -- Reiterate Equal-weight ASM International, cuts target to 12 eur -- Equal-weight TDC, ups target to 285 dkr

CITIGROUP SMITH BARNEY
Downgrade Sell from hold Philips -- Downgrade Hold from buy ASM International, cuts target to 13.0 eur from 17.2 -- Reiterate Buy ABN Amro, cuts target to 21 eur from 22 -- Hold Pillar Property, cuts target to 700 pence from 725 -- Sell Scania, ups target to 250 skr from 230

UBS
Downgrade Reduce from neutral Scania -- Downgrade Neutral from buy Geberit -- Reiterate Neutral Helical Bar, ups target to 1,036 pence from 960 -- Neutral Tate & Lyle, ups target to 405 pence from 385 -- Buy Hays, cuts target to 145 pence from 153

SG SECURITIES
Downgrade hold from buy Sagem, fair value 77 eur

CAI CHEUVREUX
Downgrade Underperform from outperform ABN Amro, target 20 eur, reduces estimates -- Downgrade Outperform from Selected List Repsol, target 21.5 eur -- Reinitiate Underperform Hochtief, target 20 eur -- Reiterate Outperform ASM International, cuts target to 14 eur from 18 -- Underperform Fiat, cuts target to 4.9 eur from 6.1

NUMIS
Upgrade Add from hold Umeco, ups target to 480 pence from 440

CSFB
Initiate Autostrade Torino, target 21.5 eur; Outperform SIAS, ups target to 12.4 eur from 11.5 -- Reiterate Outperform SABMiller, ups target to 875 pence from 785, raises estimates -- Neutral Faurecia, cuts price target to 56 eur from 60

DEUTSCHE BANK
Initiate Hold Fortum, target 13 eur -- Reiterate Hold SABMiller, raises target to 750 pence from 680, ups estimates

MORGAN STANLEY
Reiterate Overweight Daimler-Chrysler, cuts target 38 eur from 44

London shares - midmorning features

FTSE 100 risers
British Airways 220-3/4 up 4-3/4
Rally ahead of Monday's interims
BAA 576 up 2-1/2
Interims; HSBC reiterates 'buy' with 620 pence target
Legal & General 102 up 1-1/4
Bradford & Bingley deal yesterday
SABMIller 799-1/2 up 8
Deutsche Bank/CSFB ups targets & estimates
3i Group 595-1/2 up 6
New finance director
Kingfisher 309-1/4 up 2-1/2
Merrill Lynch 'buy' with 340 pence target; 'buy' from 'hold' - DKW
GlaxoSmithKline 1,170 up 7
'Outperform' - with 1,325 pence target - Sanford Bernstein
Shire Pharmaceuticals 527 up 1/2
Merrill Lynch reiterates 'buy' with 690 pence target
Vodafone 140-1/4 up 1/2
Merrill Lynch 'buy' with 145 pence target
Whitbread 819 up 3
Panmure Gordon 'buy' with 950 pence target

FTSE 100 fallers
J Sainsbury 262-1/4 down 5
Fading bid hopes
Smith & Nephew 468-1/2 down 7-1/2
Nervous offerings ahead of Q3 results Thursday
BT Group 185-3/4 down 1-1/2
'Avoid' - The Times
Associated British Foods 697 down 2
Deutsche Bank targets 690 pence
Shell 426-3/4 down 3-1/4
Crude price drops

FTSE 250 risers
Wilson Bowden 984 up 19
Hopes of pegged UK interest rates
Pilkington 89-1/4 up 1-1/2
Interims tomorrow
Barratt Developments 518 up 8
Positive weekend press comment; hopes of pegged interest rates
Carillion 222-1/2 up 3
Rail exposure; Bridgewell Securities reiterates positive stance
Balfour Beatty 280-3/4 up 3-3/4
Rail exposure; Bridgewell Securities reiterates positive stance
Wellington Underwriting 79-1/2 up 1
Bridgewell Securities positive on Lloyd's market
Tate & Lyle 431-1/2 up 1/4
Numis 'add'
Invensys 15-3/4 up 1/4
Q2 results due Nov 11
Stanley Leisure 414 up 1
Teather & Greenwood reiterates 'buy'
Millennium & Copthorne 336-3/4 up 2-1/4
Teather & Greenwood 'buy'
Rank Group 289 up 2
Seymour Pierce reiterates 'buy'
ARM Holdings 98-1/4 up 1/4
Merrill Lynch 'buy' with 100 pence target
Punch Taverns 556-1/4 up 4-3/4
Deutsche Bank 'buy'
United Business Media 484 up 2-1/4
Panmure Gordon 'buy' with 650 pence target

FTSE 250 fallers
Matalan 27-1/2 down 1/4
In-line interims; CSFB/CAI Cheuvreux/Bridgewell negative
DX Services 284 down 3-3/4
Arbuthnot prefers Business Post
RAC 658 down 11
Company to transfer Leyland parts distribution contract to PACCAR
Chrysalis 175 down 1-3/4
Panmure Gordon 'sell' with 165 pence target
ICAP 246 down 1-1/2
Profit-taking
JD Wetherspoon 231-1/4 down 1/2
Arbuthnot 'sell; & ests cut; Teather 'sell'; Deutsche Bank reiterates 'sell'
Pillar Property 662 down 1
Citigroup cuts target to 700 pence from 725
International Power 160 down 3/4
'Equal-weight' from 'overweight' - Lehman

Other risers
Babcock International 119-1/2 up 3-1/2
Rail exposure; Bridgewell reiterate positive stance
earthport 1.20 up 0.23
Recent Ecard deal
QA 2.87 up 0.50
Positive trading update
Surgical Innovations 2.37 up 0.25
Talk of solid trading
Wigmore Group 0.12 up 0.01
Recent fundraising move
Tarsus Group 12-1/2 up 8
Roger Pellow appointed to board
Matrix Communications 133-1/2 up 8
Upbeat sales statement yesterday
London Asia Capital 12-1/4 up 1/4
Snaps up 5.9 pct stake in Plus Markets, the old Ofex Holdings

Other fallers
iTrain 8.50 down 1.0
Fundraising fears
Razorback Vehicles 14-1/2 down 1
Company requires additional new funding over the next year
McBride 147-1/2 down 6
Competition worries trigger post-AGM profit-taking
Hardman Resources 84 down 3
Mauritania drilling update

CAH(US) went up by $8 one day after being downgraded.Are upgrades/downgrades for MUGS?

Afternoon all,

Looking forward to the next 2 days! Interesting to see what all the markets make
of the US elections!

Considering all the action is across the pond with the elections
today it's not quite as boringly stand-still-ish as I thought it was
going to be! Maybe the general view is a clear outcome will happen
thats what they keep saying wall st. wants...we shall see....
Good Luck All!

Will MRK(US)survive? I am running my short hoping to close below $20.