Hello traders!

In the US tonight, stocks advanced in the final half-hour of trading after oil prices backed off record highs. Gains for technology, energy and brokers sparking a modest rebound from the prior session's steep losses.

At 8:00pm, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 7 points at 10,639 with the Nasdaq Composite up 6.16 points at 2,021.91 and the S&P500 up 4.23 points to 1,192.30.

See you in the morning with more news....

Sleep tight!

G.

Good morning traders!

US stocks ended mixed last night amid concern higher oil prices could slow economic growth, stoke inflation and accelerate the pace of future interest rate increases.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down 6.72 points at 10,626.35. The Nasdaq Composite put in a fractional gain, up 0.67 point at 2,016.42 while the S&P500 edged up 2.14 points to 1,190.21.

Crude for April delivery ended down 6 cents at $56.40 a barrel, just under its record high close of $56.46 reached in the prior session. In early trading it hit a new all-time intraday high of $57.60.

In Tokyo this morning, the Nikkei closed up 104.31 points at 11,879.81.

Back with UK breaking news in a mo......

Happy Friday!

G.

In the US, Eidos closed the day 8.7% higher at 75 cents. A report in the Times of London indicated a $2.5bn California venture capital firm, Francisco Partners, is considering making a bid for Britain's biggest computer gamemaker, creator of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider titles.

PUNCH TAVERNS INITIATED 'BUY' AT UBS; PRICE TARGET 800P

CHAUCER CONFIRMS IN ALL-SHARE OFFER TALKS WITH HIGHWAY INSURANCE

Investors Chronicle

Tips:
* Buy BT Group at 203p - T&F Informa at 421p - Center Parcs at 73p - Widney at 109p - Dream Direct at 81p - Vane Minerals at 17p.
Updates:
* Buy Intek Telecom - Paypoint - Daniel Stewart.

Company Results:
* Buy James Fisher - Hill & Smith - Headlam - Rok Property Solutions - Bovis Homes - Roxboro - Public Recruitment - Balfour Beatty - Aviva - Bond International - Tolent - Entertainment Rights - Mayborn - NSB Retail Systems - Ark Therapeutics.
* Sell Intercontinental Hotels Group - Zotefoams - Deltex Medical - Restaurant Group - Eidos.

morning all...

Morning all.

Morning all.

FTSE Futures Expire (Auction 10.10am)
FTSE Options Expire
Equity Options Expire


TRIPLE WITCHING Day today there could be MAJOR VOLATILITY in the market from 10.10 to 10.30.You have been warned :-)

Mega...

long more TRY @130.50 s/l on

covered WLW +5 +5.5 :-)))what a great finish to the week :-)))