The Lex Column:
*Seeds of doubt - Agrochemicals, the pesticides and chemicals that help farmers feed the world, are in vogue. But how sustainable is expanding demand for crop protection?
*Lloyds TSB (LLOY) - On a day when UBS (UBS) announces a $10-billion hit from sub-prime losses, £200-million rather pales into insignificance.
*Lafarge (LFG) in Egypt - If first impressions count for anything, the 13% jump in Lafarge's share price on Monday is quite an endorsement. Part of the reaction reflects relief.
*Crude correction - Ok, so a pipeline blows up, crude oil inventories drop dramatically and Opec is standing firm - and the oil price still drops? Nymex crude, within sparking distance of $100-a-barrel a few weeks ago, has dropped more than 10% since then.
*UBS (UBS) writedown - Just 90-minutes after UBS revealed $10-billion of losses on Monday morning, its shares were back in the black. Are investors being too optimistic?
The Lombard Column:
*RAB (RAB) doesn't need the gift pf the gab for Christmas.
*Sharp deal is no comfort (Carillion (CLLN)/McAlpine (MCA)).
*Xstrata's (XTA) flirtatious side.
Further news:
*Xstrata (XTA) open to merger suitors.
*Why the dollar's drop is failing to rebalance the world.
*Miners in spotlight as bid talk keeps dealers guessing.
*Umbro (UMB) falls amid Nike doubt.
*Charlemagne (CCAP) shareholder unveiled.
The Business Commentary Column:
*Gieve's head will not be enough to appease critics (Northern Rock (NRK)).
*Facing up to the crunch at last (UBS (UBS)).
*Reckitt (RB.) coughs up for Adams.
Business Big Shot:
*John Kingman.
The Tempus Column:
*Carillion (CLLN) - Worth holding.
*Benfield Group (BFD) - No more than a hold.
*Wichford (WICH) - Avoid.
The Comment Column:
*Happy ending to the Decade of Debt is just an illusion.
*UBS's (UBS) bad-debt fever sets scene for a year of pain.
*Carillion (CLLN) rings changes as Reckitt (RB.) sniffs opportunity.
The Questor Column:
*Sell - Southern Cross (SCHE).
*Sell - Benfield (BFD).
*Buy - Northgate Information Solutions (NIS).
Further news:
*Cadbury (CBRY) tastes success in Brazil.
*Asian spin-off rumour fuels renewed Pru (PRU) break-up call.
The Outlook Column:
*Now UBS (UBS) goes cap in hand to wealth funds.
*Lloyds TSB (LLOY): every dog has its day.
*Vodafone (VOD) suffers from Indian rope trick.
The Business Analysis Column:
*John Lewis and the taste of success.
*Citigroup (CGP) slashes $15-billion from its structured investment vehicles.
*Xstrata (XTA) is open to discussions with potential suitors, including Vale of Brazil and Anglo American (AAL), according to people close to the situation.
*Rio Tinto (RIO) to ask regulator to 'put up or shut up' deadline on BHP Billiton (BLT).
*General Electric (GEC) is to look to allay fears over the impact of the credit crisis on GE Capital.
*Hopes of naming a bidder for Northern Rock (NRK) by Christmas recedes, with the future of the stricken mortgage lender not likely to be decided until mid-January, with Olivant and Virgin still in the running.
*Blackstone denies rumours of a Rio Tinto (RIO) break-up bid, which was suggested in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph.
*Heineken and Carlsberg reserve right to raise bid for Scottish and Newcastle (SCTN), as they continue to seek talks with S&N board. However, they confirm no plans to raise S&N offer over 750p-a-share.
*Reckitt Benckiser (RB.) acquires Adams Respiratory for $60-a-share, or $2.3-billion.
*New Star Asset Management (NSAM) property portfolio value cut by 8.2%.
*Inspace (INSP) receives indicative 183p-a-share offer from Willmott Dixon.
*Baugur confirms it is considering a bid for Moss Bros (MOSB).
*Principal Capital (PCX) headed by Bryan Myerson raises £34.5-million to seed a 56,800-acre Mozambique sugar plantation.
*Transense (TRT) raises £4.12 million via share placement; new board to review strategy.
*The New York Times wants Reuters (RTR) business news.
*Vodafone (VOD) wins the right to become the second mobile phone operator in Qatar.
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*The Dow Jones closed up 101.45-points at 13727.03, the Nasdaq added 12.79-points to 2718.95, while the S&P put on 11.30-points to end the day at 1515.96.
*Embattled banks to raise cost of credit.
*A Populus poll for the Times puts the Tories on 40% and Labour on 32%.
*UK commercial property deals set to fall 24% to £48 billion in 2007, according to new report.
*UK shoppers numbers down 7.5% year-on-year on Saturday, according to Footfall.
*Factory gate inflation hit a 16-year high last month as manufacturers passed on rapidly rising food and fuel costs.
*The cost of policing the 2012 Olympics soars to £1.2-billion.
*Tesco (TSCO) has complained to the OFT about the refusal of Rightmove (RMV) to list its properties on its website.
*Hauliers split on fuel protest ban.
*Vladimir Putin backs Dmitry Medvedev, a relatively pro-western liberal, as his favoured candidate to be Russia's next president.
*Conrad Black sentenced to six-and-a-half-years for his role in the multi-million-dollar fraud at Hollinger International.
*Demand for energy rises faster in China.
*Morgan Stanley has issued a full recession alert for the US economy.
*US Federal Reserve likely to cut interest rates by 25-basis points at its meeting today.
*US October pending home sales up 0.6%, the second increase in a month.
*GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shows positive trial data for Revolade blood medicine.
*The US Food & Drugs Administration finds no increased heart problems with AstraZeneca’s (AZN) Nexium treatment.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
