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News Headlines:  :-)

US stocks tumbled on light volume as Wall Street closed the books on the first quarter. Apart from the war news the latest U.S. economic data did little to reassure investors. The Chicago-area purchasing managers index of manufacturing activity fell from 62.4 percent in February to 49.1 percent in March. The number was weaker than the figure of 51 percent that had been expected by economists. The FTSE is seen opening slightly higher following yesterdays fall on fears of a prolonged war in Iraq. Tobacco stocks look set to come under pressure after U.S. Altria Group shares crumbled amid fears of a possible bankruptcy at its Philip Morris USA unit, which said it cannot make a $12 billion bond payment required to appeal a verdict against it. Watch for falls on BAT, Gallaher and Imp Tobacco.BHP BIlliton said it would reach 100 percent capacity at its "phase four" expansion at Chile's Escondida copper mine. Ryanair said that a UK regulator had not yet given the go-ahead to buy smaller low-cost carrier buzz from Dutch carrier KLM .

Manchester United posted a 34 percent decline in half-year profits reflecting lower gains from player sales, but said it is well placed for the future both on and off the field. They reported pre-tax profits for the six months of 20.3 million pounds slightly above analysts forecasts

Celltech said that it had extended its fight for takeover to April 15th of Oxford GlycoSciences after it won acceptances representing just 3.86 percent of OGS shares.

FKI engineering said it expected to recommend a lower financial dividend than last year when it reports annual results for the year to end-March on June 3.

Calendar

All GMT

United Kingdom (F)inals (I)nterim

United States (Click Flag)

Europe & World

Tuesday

1st

 April

Manchester United (I) PBT 14.5m exp.

09.30 Mar Manufacturing PMI 48.4 exp. 11.00 Mar CBI Distributive Trades

13.45 MTB/UBSW sales w/e 29/3 14.55 Redbook w/e 29/3 16.00 March ISM 16.00 February construction spending

07.00 Germany February retail sales m/m 07.45 France March consumer confidence 08.45 Italy / France / Germany March PMI 09.00 EMU March PMI 11.00 EMU February unemployment rate