THE market ended the week on a brighter note after putting worries of another rise in interest rates aside for the time being. Reports of booming retail sales from the CBI point to the need for base rates to rise further, but the City - for the first time in several days - allowed the FT-SE to push higher, up 10.4 at 3910.8. The index slipped back during the afternoon, however, after a downbeat start on Wall Street.
Anglo/Dutch household products and food group Unilever reported bumper third-quarter figures, which accompanied a big jump in the interim dividend and sent the shares 7 1/2p higher to 1346 1/2p. Electronic components producer The Roxboro Group was a dismal performer following a profits warning. Dealers took fright and sent the stock tumbling 79 1/2p to 123p.
Holiday firms recovered after Thursday's announcement of a Monopolies and Mergers Commission investigation.
Textile machinery group Mackie International was again in the doldrums after its profits warning on Thursday. It was down 11 1/2p to 145p.
Selling of satellite broadcaster BSKyB in New York again spilled over into London. The shares have come down to earth with a bump recently and yesterday was no exception, finishing 8 1/2p off at 522p.