Tips:
*Buy International Power (IPR.L) at 348p - Umbro (UMB.L) at 131p - Clapham House (CPH.L) at 268p - Cluff Gold (CLF.L) at 73p - Motivcom (MCM.L) at 85p.
*Sell Misys (MSY.L) at 212p.
The Lex Column:
*Airline alliances - a full-merger with Iberia would be the logical first step. BA (BAY.L) must beware of waiting too long. Otherwise another suitor might get to the altar before it.
*Regulatory retreat - other markets are inevitably catching up as their economic clout grows. It would be a pity if a failure to acknowledge that reality led to the dilution of enviably high market standards.
*PCCW - PCCW shareholders have sat through one of Hong Kong's most gripping corporate dramas but only the brave will stay tuned for the next episode.
*US retail - retailers could end up with lower margins in December, and even slower sales than usual on January.
The Lombard Column:
*Kingfisher (KGF.L) needs time it may not have.
*Battersea Power Station: pigs on the wing.
*Pension Protection Group: big fish, smaller net.
Further news:
*AsraZeneca (AZN.L) one of biggest fallers after GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) merger potential doubts.
The Tempus Column:
*Pennon (PNN.L) still one of the cheapest stocks in the sector.
*Holidaybreak (HBR.L) worth holding.
*Buy Findel (FDL.L).
The Business Commentary Column:
*Hold on tight as sterling feels the effect of sliding greenback.
*London Stock Exchange (LSE.L): Red Ken should bark elsewhere.
*Does Rentokil (RTO.L) smell a rat?
Further news:
*Word that Rightmove's (RMV.L) US roadshow is going well.
*Galahad Gold (GLA.L) looks at options.
The Investment Column:
*Hold Pennon (PNN.L).
*Avoid Sportingbet (SBT.L).
*Buy Abacus Group (ABU.L).
The Outlook Column:
*It's a funny old media world when one man's megalomania is another's free marketeer.
*A utility bubble waiting to burst.
*London beware: New York is wising up.
Further news:
*Citigroup accentuates the positive at BP (BP.L).
*Comland Commercial (COM.L) offer talks terminated.
*SMG (SMG.L) to consult shareholders on fresh UTV (UTV.L) merger move.
*French market regulator is investigating sharp movements in Euro Disney shares after claims of an imminent hostile bid from Switzerland.
*Cazenove places Power Well Services 7.6% stake in Expro International (EXR.L) at 800p.
*Kirk Kerkorian reduces stake in General Motors (GMR.L) to 7.4%.
*Private equity firms weigh up $100 billion Home Depot (HOM.L) deal.
*Balkan Investment Company's Whorlton acquires 3.42% stake in Blackrock International (BLK.L).
*SBS Group (SBG.L) raises funds ahead of potential reverse takeover.
*Music Copyright Solutions (MCS.L) wins royalty administration deal with Cayman Music.
*Wood Group (WG.L) wins two gas turbine overhaul contracts from Wintershall and Fluxys.
*Crimson Tide (TIDE.L) to buy Intelligent Data for an initial £200,000, funded by an issue of four million shares and £120,000 from a new loan facility funded by HSBC; sees deal earnings enhancing in first tear; sees full-year loss in line with expectations.
*Website monitoring firm Hitwise to put itself up for sale for around £180 million.
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*Last Night in New York the Dow eased five points and the Nasdaq closed little changed.
*Sterling at highest level since Black Wednesday as dollar tumbles to 14-year low.
*Chicago Purchasers Index 49.9 in November vs 53.5 in October.
*US October retail sales revenue minus 0.4% vs minus 0.2%.
*Wal-Mart (WAL.L) predicts slim December sales gain.
*US jobless claims up 34,000 to 357,000 in November 25 week, topping expectations.
*US October consumer spending up 0.2%, incomes up 0.4%.
*UK November volume of retail sales weakest since March, according to CBI.
*UK November consumer confidence index falls to minus 7 vs minus 5 in September, according to GfK/NOP.
*A trio of monetary policy members warn that the risk of inflation exceeding the Bank's 2% target is greater than its central forecast suggests.
*Bank of England warns of commercial property shock.
*At least 12 killed in suicide car bomb blast near Somali government offices.
*EADS shareholders agree on a £6.74 billion financing package for the Airbus A350.
*HBOS (HBOS.L) faces probe over Farepak scandal.
*BP (BP.L) has signed a deal with Russia's Rosneft to look at opportunities for finding oil and gas in the Russian Arctic.
*Ofcom to make BT (BT.L) supply all homes with broadband.
*Saudi Arabia has given Britain 10 days to halt a fraud investigation into the country's arms trade, or lose a £10 billion Eurofighter contract.
*Aveva Group (AVV.L) named company of the year at the techMARK awards.
*Rod Eddington report on transport calls for rail overhaul and pay-as-you-go motoring.
*Buy-to-let scheme planned to fund building new prisons.
*James Murdoch delivers tirade against 'elitist' British broadcasters.
*Hamsard (HMSD.L) unveils full-year loss of £7.012 million; to change name to Cantono.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
