Bunhill: Cases to answer

SHARES in Abbott Mead Vickers, the advertising agency headed by David Abbott, have been rocketing of late. The main propellant last week was news that the agency has won the pounds 50m British Telecom account, the biggest ever, which at a guess will boost the admen's profits by pounds 750,000.

The announcement was not made until Monday. But the shares mysteriously surged by 36p to 633p on the previous Friday. AMV had heard the good news on Thursday, and it was common knowledge in some corners of the advertising world.

No wonder the Stock Exchange's insider dealing unit is now taking a look. Doubtless everyone is innocent, but someone at AMV surely deserves prosecution for inflicting JR Hartley and the nauseating Werther's Original Toffees boy on an unsuspecting viewing public.