Market Report: Results fears reflected in leaders' moves

In lacklustre trading the FT-SE 100 index moved narrowly, ending 2.3 points higher at 2,840. The FT-SE 250 index advanced 8 to 3,048.3 - only 3.1 from its peak. Trading was subdued by recent standards, with Seaq putting turnover at 533 million shares and 26.901 bargains

Ramco Oil Services surged another 17p to 126p on continued excitement about its involvement in a suspected 1.4 billion-barrel oil field in the south Caspian Sea. The field is being developed with Penzoil, the US group. Ramco's main business is supplying back-up services to the oil industry. Its shares have soared from 36p since the Caspian venture became known in October.

It has been a good week for Honeysuckle, the fashionwear manufacturer. The shares climbed 9p to 55p yesterday, extending the week's advance to 20p. The company is thought to be a big beneficiary of currency movements as distributors switch from overseas to domestic production. Honeysuckle profits climbed to pounds 720,000 last year and should comfortably top pounds 1m this year.

The stockbroker Shaw & Co, increasingly active on the research front, suggested yesterday that shares of Cadbury Schweppes were a buy. Its analyst Mike Tyerman expects profits next month to emerge pounds 5.6m higher at pounds 322m, with pounds 380m for this year. The shares, little changed at 464p, failed to recognise Cadbury's position as an international brands group, he said.