The Lex Column:
*Lucky strike - It is a sector that has beaten global equities in each of the past 10-years bar one, and by 277% since 1996 in dollar terms. Yet demand is stagnant and shifting to low-margin developing markets. Tobacco is an unlikely success story.
*ECB - Following the European Central Bank’s quarter point rate rise and comments from its president, interest rate futures barely moved and currencies shrugged. Are the yawns justified?
*Antofagasta (ANTO.L) - What is going on with Antofagasta? Shares in the London-listed Chilean copper miner have had a volatile ride this year.
*Albertis - Is Abertis, the Spanish infrastructure company, in danger of losing its way? The planned €25-billion merger with Autostrade, the Italian motorways operator, is mired in uncertainty.
*News Corporation/DirecTV - Game over? After 2-years of shadow-wrestling Rupert Murdoch finally looks poised to get John Malone off his back – thanks in large part to the tax man.
The Lombard Column:
*Caught between a Hard Rock and a bingo palace – Rank’s (RNK.L) new look seems inviting for bidders.
*A barista goes it alone (Caffe Nero (CFN.L)).
*Where Polestar leads.
Further news:
*FSA rethinks listings decision.
*Accounting in China.
*Why oil groups dream of the day they can enter Iraq.
*Cigarette consolidation helps drag up Gallaher (GLH.L).
*Bought deals could be AIM's next main attraction.
*Speculation that Punch Taverns (PUB.L) has appointed advisers to work on a bid for Wolverhampton & Dudley (WOLV.L).
*Prudential (PRU.L) rises sharply on hopes for selling life assurance division.
*Rumours that Philips Electrical is poised to make an offer for iSoft (IOT.L).
The Business Editor Column:
*Tobacco giants may pick up buying habit.
*Don't pension off Pru (PRU.L) cash cow.
*Bitter taste - Caffe Nero (CFN.L) leaves a bitter taste.
The Comment Colummn:
*Spare a thought for the ECB in Euroland's madhouse.
*Gallaher (GLH.L) puffs up.
*Farepak: good news.
The Questor Column:
*Hold Premier Farnell (PFL.L).
*Sell Caffe Nero (CFN.L).
Further news:
*ECB ‘bows to political pressure from Paris’.
*Bubbling Britvic (BVIC.L) takeover talk could start bidding war.
*Chatter that Deutsche Bank's (DBK.L) asset management arm is watching Forth Ports (FPT.L) events closely.
The Outlook Column:
*Investing in tobacco may be unethical, but it sure is lucrative, as Gallaher (GLH.L) bears witness.
*Murdoch pays Malone a premium to exit.
*A powerful antidote to euroscepticism.
The Investment Column:
*Hold - Vanco (VAN.L).
*Buy - Renold (RNO.L).
*Medical House (MLH.L) is worth a punt.
Further news:
*Magners makes SABMiller (SAB.L) dedicate time to C&C (CCR.L).
*The FSA is to reconsider its decision to allow 'secondary' listings of hedge funds and private equity funds in London.
*BAE (BA.L) wins £124-million government contract to develop unmanned aircraft.
*Ladbrokes (LAD.L) to buy 888 Holdings (888.L) for £490-million, or 140p-145p-a-share.
*Woolworths (WLW.L) surges on Baugur bid talk.
*Baugur to buy 40% stake in Kevin Stanford's Allsaints fashion chain.
*Premier Oil (PMO.L) terminates all offer talks.
*Surfcontrol (SRF.L) receives preliminary offer approach; considering other options; investment funds manager Oirter Orlin, LLC currently holds 13.2% stake.
*Prudential (PRU.L) rises sharply on hopes of selling-off life assurance arm.
*Barrick Gold's bid for Novagold concluded; owns 14.8% stake.
*Misys (MSY.L) buys SC Fino Capital for undisclosed sum.
*MD Barnard and Co acquires 3.86% stake in CRC Group (CCG.L).
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*The Dow closed down 30.84-points at 12278.41, the Nasdaq closed at 2427.69, off 18.17, while the S&P fell 5.61 to 1407.29.
*Tony Blair plans Middle East visit in wake of damning report on Iraq from study group.
*The Bank of England leaves interest rate unchanged at 5% as expected.
*UK business lobbies see no need for further rate hikes due to strong pound.
*Chancellor faces backlash over change in pensions rules.
*A study of transfusion patients given blood contaminated with the human form of mad cow disease has indicated the 24 still alive are at "substantial" risk. Prof John Collinge's assessment follows his investigation into the third person infected from the original group of 66. The patient, the first to be diagnosed with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) while alive, has since died.
*European Central Bank raises interest rate to 3.5% from 3.25%; raises growth forecast to 2.2% from 2.1% and cuts Eurozone inflation forecast to 2.2% from 2.4%.
*South Africa raises interest rates for fourth time in a year.
*UK October construction orders 8% up year-on-year, according to Department of Trade and Industry.
*Shirt sponsorship deals between football clubs and online gambling companies could be outlawed, after the UK's Gambling Commission said it would investigate whether they encouraged children to gamble.
*US weekly jobless claims down 34,000 to 324,000.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
