Stock market analysis from The Share Centre
Friday, 16 February 2007 12:00
Nick Raynor, investment adviser at The Share Centre, comments on this week's market.
He said: "The FTSE 100 continued to make progress this week and hit new six year highs but only just.
"Takeover talk yet again helped push the index higher, firstly there were talks that BHP Billiton or Rio Tinto could buy the aluminium giant Alcoa and then Wolseley was rumoured to be a target for Cinven, something the private equity group later denied.
"Cinven was also in the news at the latter end of the week when reports suggested that they would abandon plans to bid for Sainsbury's.
"Next week starts to see a busier time on the reporting from with Tuesday and Wednesday being particularly busy days.
"For the week the FTSE 100 closed 37 points higher at 6,419."
The UK Market's Winners and Losers
Winners
| Company | Percentage change | Closing price | Comment |
| Reed Elsevier | 5.9% | 635p | Final results released, news of plans to sell its education arm pleases the market. |
| Vedanta Resources | 5.8% | 1285p | Rises on possible consolidation hopes within the sector. |
| Compass Group | 2.7% | 311p | AGM statement reassures analysts and indicates that trading is marginally ahead in the first four months of its financial year. |
| MyTravel | 33.6% | 318p | Rises on the merger with Thomas Cook. |
| UK Coal | 12.4% | 477.25p | Rumours are that the company has won approval to build houses on a property in west Yorkshire. |
Losers
| Company | Percentage change | Closing price | Comment |
| Cairn Energy | -5.3% | 1594p | Indian subsidiary hit by negative broker downgrades. |
| First Choice | -15.2% | 259p | Talks have ended over the sale of its packaged holiday business after the merger of Thomas Cook and MyTravel. |
| EMI Group | -9.6% | 221.5p | Issues its second profit warning in as many months. |
| British Energy | -4.8% | 399p | Broker downgrades flow after Tuesdays results. |
| Emerald Energy | -21.9% | 146.5p | A drilling update from its exploration well in Syria indicates that it is unlikely to produce commercial hydrocarbons. |
NOTE: The companies detailed above may or may not be the biggest percentage movers (plus/minus) in the week.
Mondays companies reporting:
- Interim results:
Tristel. - Final Results:
None scheduled.
Tuesdays companies reporting:
- Interim results:
Mattioli Woods, Thorntons. - Final Results:
Anglo American, Barclays, BBH, Cadbury Schweppes, Cosalt, Domino's Pizza UK & Ireland, Elan, Electric Word, Intercontinental Hotels, Low & Bonar, Morgan Crucible Company, Newcourt Group, Rexam, Reuters, Scottish & Newcastle, SDL, Taylor Woodrow.
Wednesdays companies reporting:
- Interim Results:
Avingtrans, Global Oceanic Carriers - Final Results:
Alliance & Leicester, Anglo American, Corporate Services Group, Croda International, London Capital Group, Terrace Hill Group, George Wimpey, XP Power.
Thursdays companies reporting:
- Interim Results:
ABCAM, Galliford Try, NXT - Final Results:
BAE Systems, Barrick Gold Corporation, Capita Group, Centrica, CSR, Hanson, IBS OPENSystems, Ladbrokes, NedBank, Orpak Systems, Rentokil Initial, Telephonetics, Zetex.
Fridays companies reporting:
- Final Results:
Advent Capital (Holdings), Davis Service Group, 4Imprint, Lloyds TSB Group, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Shire, Spectris, WPP Group.
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