Share Watch W/E 7/03/97

Yet another Emap director has bought shares in the company. Tom Moloney, chief executive of the consumer magazines’ division, has bought £5,000 worth of shares in Emap. The company’s shares closed last week at 762.5p.

Rumours have been floating around the city, that Reuters is to renegotiate with purchasers of its information supply. If true, this could result in an increase in overall costs; the company is also thought to be looking for acquisitions. Amid this speculation Reuters finished on Friday at 645.5p and MAID also felt the effects of these rumours, falling to 172.5p.

Yorkshire TV’s final results are published this week and its shares have been up and down amid rumours of a takeover bid from Granada. Despite rising to 1302.5p on Wednesday, and the news that ITV companies could see their annual payments to the treasury halved within two years, shares in YTTV ended the week at 1265p. Carlton shares also showed little growth following the news that a treasury payment cut was in the pipeline, although STV, Border and Grampian were all bouyed by this news and ended the week on a high. Granada also ended the week on a high, at 960.5p.

Following the release of HTV’s disappointing final results last Wednesday, shares in the company ended the week at a low of 351.5p.

United News and Media saw a gradual increase in its price over the week closing at 737.5p; the group’s finals are released this Friday. Mirror Group’s finals are also announced this week, the company’s share price remained relatively stable throughout the week, ending Friday at 211.5p.