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Front Page
* Mounting signs of economic slowdown

The Lex Column
* Central reservation - Since the credit crunch began, some have argued the European Central Bank's lending policies are too generous and transfer banks' private risks on to the public. The numbers suggest worries may have been exaggerated
* Dresdner's future - Like people, most companies have done something they regret. For Allianz, which reported mixed first quarter numbers last week, if was the purchase of Dresdner Bank in 2001
* Clear Channel - An agreement to press ahead with the Clear Channel buy-out would at least leave all sides less badly burned than they might be after unleashing the lawyers to fight it out in the Lone Star State
* Hedge fund lock-ups - Why are investors in hedge funds willingly submitting to ever-longer lock-ups of their capital?
* EnCana's split - EnCana's stock price has risen eight per cent on the news that it is to split itself in two. The Canadian oil and gas group's move is smart and well-timed, raising the sum-of-the-parts argument to push for a higher stock price.

The Lombard Column
* HSBC's unique structure make comparisons difficult -- Centrica: brace yourself for higher energy prices -- It sees Britons have not turned into the national of shoppers we feared

The Power Player
* Sir Tom Hunter

Further news
* HSBC warns US crisis will continue
* HP close to $13-billion deal for EDS
* Shoppers ‘positive’ on Tesco’s US stores
* Tiscali board excludes Carphone from shortlist of would-be buyers
* Households save their pennies for house renovation work
* Google triumphant
* Premier Foods faces 3 crucial questions
* Best Buy plots its global strategy
* Investment banks pin hopes on Asia to rescue bottom line
* Kingfisher provides a spot of colour in lacklustre session
* Brokers warm to ASOS flair
* Traders tune into Shed Media

THE TIMES

Front Page
* Elite police abandon hunt for crime lords

The Page 38 Feature
* Government backs down on corporate tax under threat of business exodus

The Business Editor’s Column
* Another tax break, Mr Darling, or we're off,,,,
* Bright sparks (Chloride)
* Hit where it hurts, in the wallet (Payment Protection Insurance)

The Business Big Shot Column
* Bill Colvin

The Tempus Column
* Dana Petroleum - Hold
* Southern Cross Healthcare - Best avoided for now
* Stobart Group – Buy

A Tiddler to Watch
* Solar Integrated Technologies

Further news
* Sharp rise in factory gate prices hits rate cut hopes
* Investor claims HSBC undervalued its US losses by $30-billion
* battered stock makes Informa attractive to private equity
* Land of Leather fined £210,000 over sales of insurance policies
* Farepak’s former directors face legal action over loss
* Predator rumours lift high street retailers
* Current trading at Carluccio's likely to be far better than many are expecting

DAILY TELEGRAPH

The Front Page
* Abolish tests for pupils at 11 and 14, urge MP’s

The Comment Column
* €urozone finance ministers gang up on our champions - Without financial services, epitomised in this country by the City of London, the UK economy would have been a deeply pedestrian place over the past decade. Love it or hate it, the industry has provided growth, jobs, wealth and, dare I say it, taxes, that most other nations on earth would cry out for.
* HSBC's window on the world
* Vodafone needs to connect in Africa

The Questor Column
* Buy – Centrica
* Hold - Hiscox

Further news
* EU ministers launch assault on bankers’ big bonuses
* Rebel tells HSBC to shed US loan arm
* Vodafone faces tough call in bid to expand
* Marks & Spencer profited from Rose years but doubts persist
* Retail sector cashes in on Kingfisher bid talk
* Feature ion Market Report Section – Chloride: Powering on

THE GUARDIAN

No share news today

THE INDEPENDENT

The Front Page
* Housing market worst for 30-years

The Outlook Column
* Centrica is the right solution for British Energy. Present profits squeeze proves it
* Can Darling survive a reshuffle?

The Business Analysis Column
* Mervyn King prepares to eat humble pie

The Investment Column
* Hold - Hiscox
* Buy - Stobart Group
* Buy - Southern Cross Healthcare

Further news
* Kingfisher soars on talk of bid from US

DAILY MAIL

The City Focus Page
* Brown’s boom’s gone bust

At a Glance
* Better Diploma

Further news
* Alliance & Leicester to unveil further writedowns of around £200-million on its portfolio of toxic loans
* Kingfisher flies on bid rumour

DAILY EXPRESS

Share Whisper
* Nice Tech contract hopes lift Zyzygy

Further news
* HSBC ‘can weather the US credit storm’
* Talk suggests Xstrata will turn hunter

DAILY MIRROR

No share news today

THE SUN

No share news today

COMMENT AND BID NEWS

* Tiscali draws up a short list of interested buyers, with Carphone Warehouse not among them
* Carlyle and Apax among those considering a bid for Informa
* Morgan Stanley doubles stake in Aberdeen Asset management to 6.20%
* Vodafone in talks to buy Ghana Telecom
* Chloride rejects 255p-a-share cash offer from Emerson Electric
* BP abandons plans to build a plant to capture and store carbon dioxide
* BHP Billiton agrees purchase of Anglo Potash at C$284-million, or C$8.15-a-share
* Laura Ashley raises stake in Moss Bros to 7.45%
* Tesco's attempt to break into the US grocery market with its Fresh & Easy chain appears to be gaining traction
* Argos faces strike threat
* EMI owner Terra Firma to cut 1,000 more jobs
* Sale of the government-owned Tote has attracted more than 40 expressions of interest, including one from the Dubai royal family
* ValiRx raises £890,000 by a placing of 14.9-million shares
* Clear Channel in talks with banks financing its leverage buy-out
* Australia's Westpac is planning an all-share offer for St George Bank worth almost £10-billion

OTHER NEWS THAT COULD AFFECT SHARE PRICES

From Wall Street
* The Dow Jones closed up 130.43-points at 12876.31, the Nasdaq added 42.97-points to 2488.49, while the S&P put on 15.30-points to finish at 1403.58.

Credit crisis fallout
* Poor economic figures have revealed inflationary pressures rising to levels not seen in 20-years, and further data is expected to show important parts of the economy stagnating
* According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, house sales in the UK have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970’s
* Property veteran Sir John Ritblat has warned that the property investment market would not see any recovery until next year

News from Home
* Government backs down on corporate tax under threat of business exodus
* UK April producers' input prices rose 2.4% in April from March, way above analyst forecasts for a 2% increase
* UK trade in goods balance with the rest of the world improved slightly in March to a deficit of £7.4-billion
* According to Citigroup, Barclays may need to raise £6-billion to drive its tier one ratio to 6.5%
* Rail Maritime and Transport union to ballot 17,000 workers for industrial action in two separate disputes

News from Abroad
* The most powerful earthquake to hit China in 30 years has killed at least 10,000 people in south-western Sichuan province, with thousands more trapped. Chinese state media said that 10,000 people were thought to be buried in one town alone near the epicentre of the earthquake in Wenchuan County. A team of 1,300 troops and medics has now reached Wenchuan, which was largely cut off by the quake.

* European Union ministers to launch assault on UK bankers' big bonuses

Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd