London pre-open: Stocks to rise on Apple results

City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up 15 points from yesterday's close of 5,752, boosted by an excellent quarterly report from technology giant Apple, announced after last night's trading close. Newsagent WH Smith said trading in the 21 weeks to January 21st was resilient, with profit growth in line with expectations. Total sales were down 3% year-on-year over the period, with like-for-like (LFL) sales 5% lower, a slight improvement on the 6% decline in LFL sales which the company reported in the first 10 weeks of its financial year.Media giant WPP has purchased a majority stake in a newly incorporated Jordanian company which will acquire the assets of marketing communications firm IDEA. JWT, WPP's advertising and communications division, has been an affiliate with IDEA for the last seven years. After WPP buys a 51% interest in the new company, IDEA will then be renamed JWT Jordan. No financial information regarding to acquisition was given.Soft drinks maker and bottler Britvic said carbonated drinks put some fizz into its Christmas trading, led by a strong gain in take-home market share for Pepsi-Cola. Revenue for the final three months of 2011 rose 2.5% from a year earlier, driven by growth in Great Britain, France and its International markets, but the results were soured by Ireland's performance; the value of sales in Ireland declined by 10.0% on a 0.2% decline in sales volumes.