Sharewatch: ITV Partners Fall On Negative Sentiment

ITV partners Carlton and Granada were seen in focus, down 2.36% and 2.11% respectively. The stocks have suffered from the growing belief that their merger will not go ahead without a complete divestment of both sales houses, which those close to the deal now believe to be something of a foregone conclusion.

Elsewhere, BSkyB was seen in focus, down 3.25%, following news the EC is set to level charges of price-fixing at the Premier League for the second time this year after the League’s reported failure to prove an open tender for its live football rights (see EC Stance Threatens BSkyB Football Deal).

Meanwhile, Aegis, the owner of Europe’s biggest media agency, Carat, was also seen in the spotlight after predicting the advertising industry will finally recover from its prolonged slump next year.

Broader market sentiment was downcast yesterday after an uninspiring set of results from Nokia dampened the rally in global technology stocks.

The closing prices of media company shares on Tuesday were: