Assetco Share News (ASTO)

Shares went into the weekend on the front foot after a week that was overshadowed by international events.Libya has acquiesced to the United Nations Security Council's resolution calling for an end to hostilities between government forces and the rebels. The United Nations Security Council voted to establish a no fly-zone over the North African country and take measures to defend civilians against forces loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.A resolution proposed by Britain, France, the US and Lebanon was supported by 10 Security Council members with the other five, including Germany, abstaining.The ceasefire reversed the direction of the oil price, which had been heading higher..Power and gas grid operator National Grid went well today after OfGem published details of its new price review regime which it said will provide strong incentives and penalties to encourage smarter, more sustainable networks, delivering improved customer service.The price controls for Britain's gas and electricity transmission and gas distribution networks will run for eight years from 2013 until 2021.To encourage greater innovation, Ofgem will set up a £400m fund for the transmission and gas distribution companies. Go Ahead has raced ahead after the bus and train operator said it had accepted the Southeastern rail franchise.Bookmaker William Hill has been granted an extension to the injunction preventing Playtech from selling its stake in William Hill Online. In court yesterday, it was agreed the injunction will stay in place until a further court hearing which is expected to occur in May or shortly thereafter.London and south-east housebuilder Berkeley continues to benefit from the region's position as a pocket of strength in an otherwise gloomy housing market. "Berkeley anticipates reporting earnings at the high end of its expectations for the year ended 30 April 2011 and the investment in work in progress will enable a further growth in earnings in 2011/12 if overall market conditions permit," it said.Fund manager Jupiter, which relisted in June, is out of favour even after it enjoyed a profit burst in 2010. Profit before tax came in at £42.4m compared with £7.2m in 2009. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew 37% o £124.6m. Results were below market expectations. Having lowered expectations in January with a profits warning building services group T. Clarke managed to beat those downgraded expectations. Revenue in 2010 rose to £179.0m versus £175.5m in 2009 and against market expectations of £169.0m. Profit before tax slipped to £5.7m from £7.3m the year before. The market had pencilled in a figure of £5.63m.AssetCo's major shareholders are rallying round the cash-strapped outsourced fire services provider, ready to chip in with money to boost working capital.The company has had to rattle the begging bowl again because creditors have been demanding earlier repayment than usual since news emerged that the company is set to raise new funds through a placing. The demands have placed a considerable strain on AssetCo's working capital.Manganese Bronze, the company behind London's iconic black cabs, narrowed losses in 2010 and still thinks it can return to profit this year. The firm announced a deficit of £6.3m for the year just gone - "a year of transition" - down by a million from 2009, though revenue fell 5% to £69.6m as total new vehicle sales dropped by 154 to 1,879. Restructuring cost £3.5m.Gulf Keystone cops a lot of attention after it struck big at the Shaikan-2 appraisal well in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The AIM-listed explorer reported a "significant initial oil flow" in a 44 metre interval (1,792-1,836m) in the Jurassic age formation.Shares in Western & Oriental slumped on plans to sell part of the business and then cancel its AIM quotation. Western & Oriental is selling its travel business in order to concentrate on its events division.FTSE 100 - RisersNational Grid (NG.) 577.00p +4.43%BAE Systems (BA.) 318.40p +3.68%TUI Travel (TT.) 232.10p +3.39%Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 1,855.00p +3.17%Centrica (CNA) 328.50p +3.17%Prudential (PRU) 710.00p +2.90%Aggreko (AGK) 1,518.00p +2.85%Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) 1,234.00p +2.41%Schroders (SDR) 1,723.00p +2.32%Invensys (ISYS) 336.10p +2.31%FTSE 100 - FallersARM Holdings (ARM) 511.00p -4.22%Admiral Group (ADM) 1,565.00p -1.45%BG Group (BG.) 1,499.00p -1.38%Standard Life (SL.) 201.70p -1.32%GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,142.00p -1.30%Compass Group (CPG) 533.50p -1.11%Tullow Oil (TLW) 1,362.00p -1.09%Vodafone Group (VOD) 169.95p -0.87%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 109.90p -0.72%BT Group (BT.A) 177.10p -0.67%FTSE 250 - RisersSalamander Energy (SMDR) 294.90p +11.83%Elementis (ELM) 159.60p +5.63%Rentokil Initial (RTO) 89.00p +4.64%Lancashire Holdings (LRE) 592.50p +4.22%Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 451.60p +4.20%Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 627.00p +4.15%Go-Ahead Group (GOG) 1,384.00p +4.14%Supergroup (SGP) 1,509.00p +3.93%Yule Catto & Co (YULC) 197.90p +3.88%Tullett Prebon (TLPR) 407.10p +3.85%FTSE 250 - FallersJupiter Fund Management (JUP) 298.00p -6.38%Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 2,600.00p -5.42%Ocado Group (OCDO) 215.20p -3.45%Grainger (GRI) 101.60p -3.42%St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 168.30p -3.39%Pace (PIC) 161.40p -2.65%Carpetright (CPR) 733.00p -2.14%Micro Focus International Plc (MCRO) 296.30p -1.98%BH Global Ltd. USD Shares (BHGU) 10.6 -1.94%Computacenter (CCC) 410.10p -1.89%