Taking Stock; Your at-a-Glance Guide

"Very good double-digit income growth in both consumer and wholesale banking," Standard Chartered reported today for its first half year. But analysts pointed out that the Far East-facing bank made no such claims for earnings growth and most remained fairly cautious on the shares, which drifted off 14p to 1652p.

BANKING AND FINANCE

Henderson Global Investors, owner of more than 4 billion of European retail properties, today called the top of the UK market. Head of European investment Patrick Bushnell said he would cut investment spending here this year because of slowing rental growth and falling property values, Bloomberg reported.

BUILDING AND PROPERTY

The Office of Fair Trading is studying how consumers can be provided with better protection when shopping online.

The watchdog is to spend the next six months investigating the UK internet shopping market, worth 22 billion a year. OFT boss John Fingleton says websites need to improve their awareness of consumer rights.

CONSUMER

Rolls-Royce has added another major contract to make Trent jet engines.

Following yesterday’s announcement about AirAsia buying Trent 700s for its new fleet, Rolls today said that India’s Kingfisher Airlines has ordered Trents for 25 new Airbus planes in a deal worth more than 500 million at list prices.

ENGINEERING

Biotech group Renovo has sold its blockbuster medicine Juvista, which helps recovery from surgical scarring, to Shire Pharmaceuticals. It will receive a $75 million (37.8 million) upfront payment and further revenues of up to $825 million if the drug is successfully brought to market. Shire will take a $50 million stake in Renovo.

HEALTH

Airbus claims it has turned the corner after a year-long crisis linked to production problems and boardroom turmoil.

Speaking at the Paris Airshow, chief executive Louis Gallois said: "Airbus is back." The planemaker recently unveiled a raft of orders for its A380, the superjumbo that has been dogged by controversy.

INDUSTRIALS

Cashbox has been given exclusive rights to put its fee-charging ATMs into Marston’s 1700-strong pub estate.

Cashbox currently has 1500 ATMs in convenience stores, pubs and motorway service stations. It will offer Marston’s publicans the machines for free on the basis that they restock them with cash from their takings.

LEISURE

News Corp may swap its MySpace internet social network site for a 25% stake in Yahoo. But the talks may collapse following the departure of Yahoo chief executive Terry Semel in a management shake- up. News Corp bought MySpace for $580 million (292 million) in 2005. A 25% stake in Yahoo could be worth more than $12 billion.

MEDIA

The price of lead rocketed to record highs today because of concerns about low global stockpiles. Lead rose $50 a tonne to $2450 at one stage. Figures last night showed a global lead shortfall of 4000 tonnes in January, February and April. Meanwhile, copper prices were driven higher by looming strike action at mines.

NATUR AL RESOURCES

Electricals group Kesa, which owns Comet, is at a crossroads and needs to decide whether to replace its outgoing chief executive with an insider or look elsewhere, says Pali International. The broker adds that Kesa’s long-term performance remains sluggish. "The choice of the new CEO will be key to sentiment," it says.

RETAILING

Capita might be best-known for running the London congestion charge, but it is also winning lots of business to manage back- office systems for insurers, says Citigroup. The broker rates the shares a buy, thanks to big contracts from Zurich, CIS and Resolution. Capita shares are low risk because the business is so diversified, says Citigroup.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Apple has until midnight tonight to respond to European Commission worries over its iTunes pricing structure.

Four major music companies, including EMI, have give,n evidence to the EC, which is concerned that iTunes customers in one country are prohibited from downloading music from a site serving another country.

TECHNOLOGY

Specialist broadband provider Pipex could be one of the main beneficiaries of the plans of regulator Ofcom to allow a relaxation of the rules on mobile internet licences. Goldman Sachs reckons that underwrites the share price at 15p even if bid talks that are currently taking place were to fail.

TELECOMS

Standard Poor’s upped its credit rating for British Airways to investment grade in a move that will wipe millions of pounds off the airline’s interest bill. SP’s credit scores are used by lenders to judge how much interest to levy on companies. It cited BA’s improved operational performance and falling pension deficit.

TR ANSPORT

Energy regulator Ofgem has warned against complacency in the UK gas market after National Grid, which controls about half the country’s mains distribution networks, said short-term storage levels are good. Ofgem is worried that not all the UK’s promised gas import facilities will be functional by the winter.

UTILITIES

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