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The FTSE is set to open higher partly helped by AstraZeneca which has won final U.S. approval for its cancer drug Iressa.AZN The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday it approved AstraZeneca drug Iressa for treating advanced cases of non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer in the United States.THUS 'Despite difficult trading conditions, Data and telecoms turnover grew by 13% to 160.5 million and by 17% to 141.8 million, , gross profit increased 30% to 64.2 million, lifting the margin from 18% to 22% and the operating loss improved from 65.2 million to 50.8 million. Carlton Comms says it will pull out of a proposed merger with rival Granada if the broadcasters are forced to sell their advertising houses for the deal to proceed. Safeway: Philip Green may delay launching a formal bid for UK supermarket chain Safeway and could pull out of the takeover battle altogetherChubb: could receive a takeover offer of 80 pence a share this week from U.S. United Technologies Corp Selfridges: Two more bidders are poised to enter the raceAbey National said it sold the bulk of its AU$1 billion pound project loan book to three Australian banks for an undisclosed sum.British Airways:The Independent said the UK airline is preparing a statement which will reveal a hole in its staff pension fund of up to one billion pounds.MFI is facing a shareholder revolt at next week's annual general meeting after the National Association of Pension Funds urged investors to abstain in voting on pay policy

Imperial Tobacco: reported a 40 percent jump in half-year profits on Tuesday and said it was on track to achieve planned savings from its takeover of Reemtsma.They posted pre-tax profits for the six months ahead of analysts forecasts at 353-368 million pounds.

Calendar All GMT	United Kingdom (F)inals (I)nterim	United States (Click Flag)	Europe & World
Tue 6th May	Imperial Tobacco (I), Thus Group (F), Chrysalis (I), Kelda (F), Minorplanet Systems (I), Rank Trading Statement Alliance & Leicester (AGM), Serco (AGM) 09.30 UK April Services PMI 50.2 exp. 09.30 UK April M0 y/y +7.6% exp. UK service sector CIPS (0830 GMT) UK CBI regional trends survey (1000 BST)	Cisco (Q3) 19.15 US FOMC Rate Announcement April ISM non-manufacturing index April ISM non-manufacturing index (1400 GMT)	TotalElfFina (Q1), Aegon (Q1) 09.00 EMU April Services PMI 47.9 exp. 11.00 EMU March Unemployment 8.8% exp. Italy April services PMI (0745 GMT) France April services PMI (0750 GMT) French Services PMI (0750 GMT) Germany April services PMI (0755 GMT) Euro zone April services PMI (0800 GMT)
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Sunday News 4th May 2003        

Abbey National is forcing 2,000 staff to reapply for jobs as part of a huge overhaul of its branch network.

The S&P Index and the Nasdaq Index rose for a third straight week as some investors bet corporate profits will pick up in the second half of the year.  With 416 of the companies in the S&P 500 having reported quarterly results, first-quarter earnings are up 13.8 percent from a year ago. That's the largest increase since the third quarter of 2000. Analysts forecast earnings will increase 12.6 percent in the third quarter and 21.1 percent in the final three months of the year.

Sunday Times:

Carlton:Granada ITV investors gun for Allen Cordiant advertises auction of itself Baker's prescription for success at Boots O'Neill appointment puts Norish in play Hilton and Marriott target Le Meridien Independent News: BAY Indo caves in to demand for board changes Forth Ports to face shareholders' revolt over executive pay-off deals Orange T-Mobile director goes after defeat BAE job losses anger ministers

Finance chief shows his faith in Britannic A Share in the Boardroom: HSBC MyTravel is mauled by its Mips Share of the week: ICI Sharecast: Smiths Group

Selfridges boss gets big pay rise as battle looms Easyjet faces losses of 50m after Go merger Irish-based diamond house nets Billiton joint venture

Xstrata hit by row over rights issue payment

Sunday Telegraph

RSA pays finance director 250,000 bonus - just for turning up Corus Group Renationalise steel, say unions

HP Bulmer: Can the families hold their drink?

Cordiant Comms Bad hair day in adland

Scotland on Sunday

John Wood Group, SMG, S&Newcatle Peace dividend prompts boardroom buys

HBOS Howard's cut out for stardom More outlets for Reg Vardy Largest client deserts J Beattie's financial PR arm Havelock flouts best practice rule in CEO deal RBOS Harvard gets down to business Johnston Press Paper tiger with plenty of bite as a deal-maker McCarthy and Stone Developer cashes in on ever increasing demand for retirement homes Hunter faces at least three rivals in Selfridges bid  

Investor Chronicle

*Buy BPB (BPB) at 297p - iTouch (ITU) at 19p - Fountains (FNT) at 94p - Interior Services (ISG) at 131p - Sterling Energy (SEY) at 7p *Buy Dixons (DXNS), Stanley Gibbons (SGI) and Sector Guard (SGB).*Project Telecom (PJT) and Stagecoach (SGC) fairly priced and Computerland (CPU) good value *Buy Punch Taverns (PUB) - European Motor (EMH) and Malcolm Group (MAL). ..

*Sell Ferraris (FER) at 105p.*Sell Whitbread (WTB).

Shares Magazine 

*Buy Umeco (UMC) at 237.5p - Rank Group (RNK) at 240p - Warthog (WHOG) (spec) at 12p *Buy Merrydown (MYW) - hold Powderject Pharmaceuticals (PJP).*Sell Dixons (DXNS) at 111.5p. Company Profiles: *Durlacher (DUC) - Intellixis (ILX) - Hemscott (HEM) - Xenova (XEN) - Clinton Cards (CC). The "Aces" of Diamonds: *Firestone (FDI) - Anglo American (AAL) - BHP Billiton (BLT) - RioTinto (RIO) - European Diamonds (EPD). "Safe as Houses":*Countryside Properties (CYD) - Ben Bailey (BBC) - Persimmon (PSN) - Wimpey (WMPY) - Barratt (BDEV) - Fairbriar (FBR) - Propan Homes (PPH).