This Morning in London the FTSE-100 opened lower with oil stocks easier, after a $2 fall on the price of oil. BP (BP.L) fell 13.5p, Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.L) declined 28p, with Cairn Energy (CNE.L) down 52p. Better news for Cadbury’s (CBRY.L) share price as speculation suggested either private equity interest, or an LBO. The shares gained 17p to 549p. Mixed fortunes for a couple of new additions to the market, in so much that for Bluebay Asset Management, which were placed at 300p, the shares traded up at the 323.5p level. However, some had been predicting a climb to the 350p range. Eatonfield, a northwest and Welsh, commercial and residential property developer, placed at 125p by Evolution had a stirring start, trading up at 137p. At 11:23 the FTSE-100 was down 35.1 at 6219.8.
In this modern "PC-world" both sexes are equal
Miss Israel has been given permission not to carry her assault rifle during service in the Israeli army, because... she says it bruises her legs. Reigning beauty queen Yael Nezri, a private who recently completed basic training, says the bruises are making it difficult for her to model in photo shoots. Eighteen-year old Ms Nezri, has been granted an exemption by her commanders for her 2-year army stint.
Should’ve known better at that age
Two grannies who were caught on CCTV stealing a bag, have handed themselves into police. Cameras caught the OAPs laughing as they carried the bag away. The pensioners admitted the theft of the bag, which they found as they got off a train at Sunderland train station. A British Transport Police spokeswoman said that although they handed themselves they had already identified the 2 women from the CCTV footage. A 20-year-old Malaysian student had left the bag unattended at the station. British Transport Police PC Gavin Alcorn, said that the student had left her bag for a few minutes and the elderly ladies saw it and brought it into to our office. When the girl came back to look for the bag she went to the police and checked her possessions. She said her student ID, Malaysian driving licence and a small amount of cash had been taken. The grannies were given a police caution.
BROKER RECOMMENDATIONS
ABN has upgraded Northern Foods (NFDS.L) to buy from hold and reiterates buy Vedanta Resources (VED.L).
The broker says buy Rolls-Royce (RR.L) and Cable & Wireless (CW.L).
Altium has upgraded Keller (KLR.L) to buy from hold and downgraded Speedy Hire (SDY.L) to reduce from hold (1010p target).
The broker reiterates buy Hamworthy (HMY.L) (450p target) and says buy Spice (SPI.L) (360p target).
Altium says hold Wagon (WAGN.L) (cutting the price target to 151p from 160p).
Bridgewell reiterates overweight on Keller (KLR.L) and says buy Spice (SPI.L) and Vectura (VEC.L).
The broker is neutral on Shanks Group (SKS.L) and Innovata (IOV.L).
Citigroup has downgraded National Grid (NG.L) to sell from hold and reiterates buy Shire (SHP.L).
The broker says hold AstraZeneca (AZN.L).
Credit Suisse has neutral on Alliance Boots (AB.L) (raising the target price to 820p from 750p) and Ladbrokes (LAD.L) (cutting estimates).
Deutsche reiterates coverage of Xstrata (XTA.L) appending a buy recommendation and a 880p target and says buy Vedanta Resources (VED.L) and Investec (INVP.L) (raising target to 635p from 600p).
Dresdner Kleinwort has downgraded British Energy (BGY.L) to sell from reduce.
JM Finn says sell Robert Wiseman Dairies (RWD.L), suggesting a switch into Dairy Crest (DCG.L).
Goldman has downgraded the European Capital Goods Sector to neutral from overweight, the European Steel Sector to underweight from neutral and the European Electrical Equipment Sector to neutral from attractive.
The broker has neutral on Home Retail Group (HOME.L).
HSBC has issued a note on UK the Waste Sector, in which they initiate coverage of Biffa (BIFF.L) appending an underweight recommendation and a 247p price target.
The broker has overweight on Vodafone (VOD.L) (160p target).
ING says hold National Grid (NG.L) (raising the price target to 720p from 630p) and says buy Reed Elsevier (REL.L) (650p target).
Kepler Teather & Greenwood has initiated coverage of MyTravel Group (MT.L) appending a reduce recommendation and has downgraded Reed Elsevier (REL.L) to hold from buy.
The broker says hold Pearson (PSON.L) (sum-of-the parts price of over 900p) and buy AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and BP (BP.L) (760p target).
Merrill reiterates neutral on ITV (ITV.L) and has neutral Reed Elsevier (REL.L).
Morgan Stanley has initiated coverage of GKN (GKN.L) appending an underweight recommendation and a 266p target price.
Panmure Gordon says buy VT Group (VTG.L) (reducing the price target to 535p from 560p) and Genus (GNS.L) (570p target).
The broker reiterates buy Fuller Smith Turner (FSTA.L) (1650p price target) and Whitbread (WTB.L) (1494p target price).
Seymour Pierce has downgraded Debenhams (DEB.L) to hold from outperform and Next (NXT.L) to underperform from hold and reiterates buy UK Coal (UKC.L).
The broker says buy Tertiary Minerals (TYM.L) and reiterates underweight on General Retailers.
UBS says buy Euromoney (ERM.L) (raising the price target to 600p from 575p) and BBA Group (BBA.L) and reduce Investec (INVP.L).
The broker is neutral on Corus (CS.L) (raising the price target to 472p from 430p) and buy Reed Elsevier (REL.L) and Smith & Nephew (SN.L).
UBS is neutral on Premier Oil (PMO.L).
NEWS ROUND-UP
Last Night in New York shares once again closed a another record high, as neutral consumer-price data and a big drop in crude oil prices helped push to one side negative news for technology bellwethers stocks Applied Materials and Dell. The Dow closed up 54.11-points to finish the session at 12305.82 (another record high close), the Nasdaq added 6.31-points to 2449.06, while the S&P closed at 1399.76, up 3.19.
On this day in:-
1997 - Six Britons, including 3 from one family, were among 61 tourists killed when they were attacked by Muslim terrorists, in the Valley of the Queens at Luxor in Egypt.
1988 - Benazir Bhutto was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, a female leader of a Muslim state.
1988 - Franz Kafka's manuscript of his classic novel, The Trial (1925), sold at Sotheby's in London for £1-million, a world record for a modern literary text. Kafka had died in poverty in 1924.
1972 - Former dictator Juan Peron returned to Argentina after 17-years in exile.
1970 - The Russian spacecraft Luna 17 landed on the Moon and released the first moonwalker vehicle, to travel across the planet's surface.
1970 - Stephanie Rahn became the Sun's first Page 3 girl.
1964 - Great Britain said it was banning all arms exports to South Africa.
1955 - Anglesey, North Wales, became the first local authority in Great Britian to introduce flouride into its water supply.
1954 - General Abdel Nasser became the Egyptian leader.
1882 - The Royal Astronomer witnessed an unidentified flying object from the Greenwich Observatory. He described it as a circular object, glowing bright green.
1869 - In Egypt, the formal opening of the 100 mile long Suez Canal - 10 years after construction work began. The canal connected the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea and allowed ships travelling between Europe and Asia to avoid sailing thousands of extra miles around the southern tip of Africa. The canal was designed by Frenchman Ferninand De Lesseps.
1857 - Great British troops relieved the besieged town of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny.
1839 - Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi's first opera, Oberto, conte di San Bonifacio debuted in Milan. The premiere was held at the Teatro La Scala, where Verdi had first learned his craft from composer and maestro Vincenzo Lavigna. Oberto was received favourably, and Verdi was commissioned to write 3 more operas by Bartolomeo Merelli, the impresario at La Scala. In 1842, after some personal and professional setbacks, the opera Nabucco made Verdi an overnight celebrity. He would go on to compose such classic operas as Aida, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, Falstaff, and La Traviata.
1800 - The US Congress met for the first time in Washington DC.
1604 - In England, seafarer and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was tried for treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
1558 - Elizabeth I ascended to the throne.
1307 - Swiss revolutionary leader William Tell was reputed to have shot an apple off his son's head, with a crossbow.
