Shares: Taking Stock

Orbis, the security group, could be on the verge of a significant deal. There is talk it is about to mount another acquisition, raising the cash through an open offer and placing. It is likely to accompany the takeover with profits of pounds 1.7m against pounds 198,000.

The shares are 48p.

Watch Chieftain, the insulation supplier. A re-rating is likely with one investment house said to be forecasting profits of more than pounds 500,000 for this year. Last year it lost pounds 536,000. The shares held at 34p.

Ivan Weston, co-founder of the Arbiter & Weston leisure group taken over by Ladbroke 25 years ago, is behind a leisure business planning an Ofex presence. He is running Sanctuary Leisure which operates a leisure park and two Hustlers American pool clubs.