Shares: Up

Shares in British Sky Broadcasting rose 4 per cent as growing confidence in the group's ability to attract customers to its planned digital service outweighed a setback in fourth-quarter profit. Net income fell 24 per cent to pounds 64.2m from a year earlier as the satellite broadcaster spent more on soccer rights and developing digital television.

BSkyB has seen investment outstrip customer growth as it gears up for the October start of digital television. Faced with competition from terrestrial broadcasters and cable companies, BSkyB is shelling out on incentives to woo subscribers and keep revenue growth from slowing.