City File: City awaits Amstrad communication

AMSTRAD will report to analysts at London's Great Eastern Hotel instead of its normal Brentwood lair when it announces figures on Tuesday. The mountain is coming to Mohamed, but the prophet does not know what to expect. The move must have something to do with last year's pounds 70.9m loss, the abortive attempt to take Amstrad private again in December and criticism for its (now corrected) lack of non-executive directors. Amstrad has stayed singularly silent about its prospects, so the City is hesitant about predicting its full-year results - expectations range from losses of pounds 23m to profits of pounds 13m.

A shift in strategy away from personal computers and towards telecommunications adds to the uncertainty. The shares, up to 44.5p on the back of the Dancall buy, remain a punt only for the bold.