Footsie in step with the 軍隊／機動隊s

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 00:00 BST, 20 March 2003

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EACH step toward war in the Middle East has 押し進めるd the 株式市場 ever higher. 株 were in the doldrums 早期に on Wednesday, before 報告（する）／憶測s of 軍隊／機動隊 movements 追加するd more than 80 points to the blue-半導体素子 FTSE 100.

証拠不十分 on 塀で囲む Street took its （死傷者）数 later, but the Footsie finished 18.1 points better at 3765.4. That is the fifth straight 伸び（る）, taking it nearly 15% above the lows of last week.

Nobody is sure that 最近の 伸び（る）s 示す the end of the 耐える market. 'Everyone believes now that the war will come soon and it will be quick,' said a 売買業者. He 恐れるs a 長引いた 衝突 could 先触れ（する） a return to last week's 7 1/2-year lows. But others believe that 株 may be past the worst. They are encouraged by the seemingly high level of buying from directors over the past week.

At International 力／強力にする (負かす／撃墜する 1/4p to 76 1/2p) director Adri Baan 追加するd 10,000 株 to his 持つ／拘留するing. Directors at Reuters (不変の at 117 1/4p) have been buying ひどく for the past week.

On one thing the 楽天主義者s and the 悲観論者s 同意する - 推定する／予想する big price swings, 特に 近づく Friday's expiry of 未来s and 選択s. 英貨の／純銀の was little changed at $1.5640. The euro 弱めるd to 67.8p and to $1.0589.

爆弾d-out 保険会社s led the 前進する. 王室の & SunAlliance jumped 4 1/2p to 72 1/2p, the best 業績／成果 in the 最高の，を越す 100. 合法的な & General was also strong, hitting 80p by 中央の-afternoon, before finishing 2 1/4p up at 78p. Friends Provident rose 2p to 83 1/2p.

The oil majors shrugged off a roasting from CSFB. The 投資 bank advised a 転換 out of oil and into food companies, 特に those exposed to 現れるing markets. Oil 在庫／株s are beginning to look expensive, and 収入s will be volatile, says CSFB. Nonetheless, 爆撃する 伸び（る）d 2 1/4p to 382 1/4p, while BP stretched 1 1/4p to 414 1/4p. BP bought 支援する more than 2.5m 株, at prices 範囲ing from 406p to 411.75p, having repurchased nearly 4m earlier in the week. 爆撃する has also been buying its own 株.

投資家s who want to stay in oil should look to services 会社／堅いs such as 支持を得ようと努めるd Group (up 2p to 157p), says CSFB.

Avionics and flight refuelling group Cobham flew 22 1/2p higher to 1022 1/2p. Today's 十分な-year results are likely to please, with 分析家s looking for a 6% rise in pre-税金 利益（をあげる）s to about £110m. Cobham earns nearly half its 歳入s from defence work so the 現在の year 見通し is likely to be 上昇傾向. 売買業者s are also 利益／興味d in Cobham's thoughts about its 未来 independence. 週末 報告（する）／憶測s 示唆するd that Airbus owner EADS may be 匂いをかぐing around.

Bodycote 追加するd to Tuesday's 16% jump, reaching another 1 1/2p to 77 1/2p. 売買業者s are relieved that the 塗装s group held its （株主への）配当 this week. Deutsche Bank repeated its 'buy' advice calling it a 'classic 回復 play'.

割引 着せる／賦与するing chain Matalan clawed 支援する 12 1/4p of Tuesday's 低迷 to finish at 156 1/4p. But in the wake of the surprise 辞職 of 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある Paul Mason, 仲買人 Merrill Lynch 削除するd its price 的 to 150p, and 除去するd Matalan from its 'buy' 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）.

Sickly Amersham turned in the worst 業績／成果 の中で the blue-半導体素子s. A 利益（をあげる） 警告 from US 競争相手 適用するd Biosystems 押し進めるd it 26p lower to 392p. The US company 非難するd 延期するs in 得るing 約束d 研究 基金ing from 政府s.

Other 医療の 器具／備品 製造者s fared better. Smith & 甥 jumped to 390p, before ending at 381 1/4p, 負かす／撃墜する 5 1/4p, while SSL International 追加するd a penny to 202 1/2p.

Colt Telecom 低迷d 3 1/4p to 37 1/4p, but 売買業者s believe the 落ちる was 簡単に a 是正 of a 誤った price entered into the の近くにing market auction on Tuesday evening. Colt was hovering between 37p and 38p through Tuesday before 狙撃 up to 41p at the の近くに.

Tiny Toad 明かすd a 有望な 始める，決める of results, 地位，任命するing a 税込みの 利益（をあげる） of £220,000 for 2001 after a £1m loss the previous year. Toad (up 2p to 4 3/4p) 作品 with 保険会社s to 取って代わる stolen car 無線で通信するs. After a 大規模な 再編成, it hopes to break into the 交替／補充 of computers, DVD players and 数字表示式の cameras.