Oon the up; Orange

SHARES in Orange rose nearly 13 percent as the mobile phone company escaped the price cuts imposed on its competitors. The Monopolies Commission said Vodafone and Cellnet must cut their prices for calls between mobile and fixed phone customers by 25 per cent. The action comes as regulators across Europe force operators to cut prices to ensure new rivals have a chance to gain a foothold in the region's $180bn (pounds 107bn) market.

Orange and One2One, were not included in the regulator's ruling because their rates have typically been lower and the two don't hold a dominant position. They may, however, be hurt more by the decision because they aren't as profitable as the leaders and will still have to cut rates to stay competitive