Shares: Taking Stock

English & National Investment Trust, controlled by Bahamas investor Joseph Lewis, who has nearly 30 per cent of Christies International, gained 11p to 70p as it took an option from Mr Lewis to buy a 20.1 per cent interest for pounds 6.2m in AutoNomy, which embraces text searching technology. BCE, the computer games group, acquired 8.3 per cent of AutoNomy on Monday. Its shares gained 1p to 20p.

Caird, the waste disposal group valued at around pounds 4m, jumped 47p to 390p following director buying after last week's upbeat trading statement. The shares have gained 140p in a week.

PPL Therapeutics, producing human proteins from sheep milk, made the expected healthy debut, hitting 500p before settling at 487p from its 450p placing.