S&P Futures

US equities failed to hold on to early gains as investors become increasingly nervous holding open positions.

Next beat forecasts with a 17 percent rise in annual profit to 353.3 million pounds ahead of expectations of 343 million. It said its new financial year had started well with sales were up 3.0 percent in the first seven weeks of its new financial year.

The London Stock Exchange said that the average number of trades each day rose to 230,000 from 213,00 in January and February, but said it saw a dip in the number of terminals used by market professionals. More trades less brokers due to computerised trading systems.

Tate & Lyle said that overall trading was in line with the company's expectations, and that its outlook for 2005 was unchanged.

Johnson Matthey chemicals and metals expects earnings for the year to beat year-earlier levels, but in line with market expectations

Man Group hedge fund manager said it expected its pre-tax profits for the year ending March 31, 2004 to be materially ahead of market expectations with sales of around $10.5 billion, pushing funds under management up to $38 billion from $26.1 billion a year ago.

FKI said its finance chief would be taking early retirement as part of a shake-up of management and that its underlying annual performance was in line with expectations.

3i Group said that most of its investments were performing satisfactorily and it expected full-year provisions for failing investments to fall "substantially".

Alpha Airports Group (F), Cape (F), Capital and Regional (F), Codascisys (F), Entertainment Rights (F), Evolution Group (F), Hardy Underwriting (F), MTL Instruments (F), Next (F), Ottakar's (F), Oystertec (F), Rotork (F), Rotork (F), S and U (F), Symphony Plastic Technologies (F), Thompson Clive (F), Thomson Intermedia (F), Volvere (F), Digital Classics (EGM), Newmark Security PLC (EGM), Brunner Investment Trust (AGM), Crest Nicholson (AGM), Image Scan Holdings (AGM), QA (AGM)

Feb BBA Mortgage lending (09:30), Feb Motor vehicle prod (09:30) Q4 Revised business investment (09:30)

ConAgra Foods

13:30 Chain Deflator-Final Q4 - 1.2% 13:30 GDP-Final Q4 - 4.1% 13:30 Initial Claims 03/20 - 340K 15:00 Existing Home Sales Feb - 6.25M

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, HeidelbergCement AG Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology, Zapf Creation AG Web.de AG, Evotec OAI AG FJH AG, AWD Holding REpower Systems AG, United Internet AG

Clarins, Wendel Investissement Compagnie de Saint Gobain, Bacou-Dalloz

Croc@SnappyTrader.com  WWW.SnappyTrader.com