BLOOMBERG: BG, Cable & Wireless, HSBC, Shell: U.K., Irish Equity Preview: “Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA LN): Europe's second-largest oil company has delayed full production at its Sakhalin oilfield off the Siberian coast until 2008, the Mail on Sunday reported, without saying where it got the information.”: Monday 8 August 2005
Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may make gains or losses in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are from the Aug. 5 close.
The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 0.80, or 0.02 percent, to 5314.70. The FTSE All-Share Index declined 0.48, or 0.02 percent, to 2662.74.
Ireland's ISEQ Overall Index added 24.30, or 0.36 percent, to 6736.22.
U.K. Companies:
BG Group Plc (BG/ LN): The U.K.'s third-biggest oil company by market value probably will announce price increases of at least 10 percent for its 11 million U.K. customers in the ``coming weeks,'' the Observer said, citing unidentified ``experts in the field.'' The shares rose 6 pence, or 1.2 percent, to 494.25.
Cable & Wireless Plc (CW/ LN): Plans by Britain's second- biggest phone company to acquire Energis Plc are being opposed by some Energis investors who want more money, the Sunday Times reported, citing unidentified hedge funds and Energis bondholders. The stock fell 1 pence, or 0.6 percent, to 162.25.
Candover Investments Plc (CDI LN): Candover and Cinven Ltd. are in talks to sell a 30 percent stake in casino operator Gala Group Ltd. to rival private-equity firm Permira Advisers Ltd., the Sunday Times reported, without saying where it got the information. The shares added 8 pence, or 0.4 percent, to 1847.
EasyJet Plc (EZJ LN): Directors at Europe's second-biggest low- cost carrier are in dispute after non-executive director Colin Day was offered the chief executive job and quit when discussions collapsed, the Sunday Times reported, citing unidentified people at the company. The shares added 14.25 pence, or 5.7 percent, to 265.25.
HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA LN): Europe's largest bank by market value seeks to increase its 20 percent stake in China's Bank of Communications should the Chinese government change its banking rules, the Observer reported today, citing an HSBC executive. The stock was unchanged at 922.5 pence.
Management Consulting Plc (MMC LN): The company that advises businesses such as BP Plc on improving efficiency will release first-half results. The shares were unchanged at 52 pence.
Morgan Sindall Plc (MGNS LN): The U.K. builder will release first-half results. The shares fell 2.5 pence, or 0.3 percent, to 779.5
NWF Group Plc (NWF LN): The U.K. distributor of groceries, agricultural products and fuel oils will release annual results. The stock fell 5 pence, or 1 percent, to 515.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA LN): Europe's second-largest oil company has delayed full production at its Sakhalin oilfield off the Siberian coast until 2008, the Mail on Sunday reported, without saying where it got the information. The shares fell 5 pence, or 0.3 percent, to 1785.
Standard Chartered Plc (STAN LN): The U.K. bank that makes about two-thirds of its profit in Asia may say first-half net income jumped to $840 million from $768 million a year earlier, based on the median estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The shares lost 21 pence, or 1.8 percent, to 1,125.
Irish Companies:
Ryanair Holdings Plc (RYA ID): Europe's biggest low-cost airline faces an investigation into whether the company is breaking European rules requiring airlines to compensate customers for delayed or canceled flights, the London-based Times said, citing the U.K. aviation regulator.
Separately, Ryanair will double its airplanes to 225 in the next five years, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told the newspaper Welt am Sonntag in an interview. The shares rose 0.13 euros, or 2 percent, to 6.73.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Katy Watson in London at kwatson@bloomberg.net
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=aezpRJ90nVzY&refer=uk
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