Market Report: Taking Stock

LPA Industries, an electrical equipment group, added 2.5p to 64.5p as stockbroker Greig Middleton described the company as "one to watch". The analyst David Wilkinson sees profits climbing from pounds 557,000 to pounds 900,000 this year and to pounds 1.16m in the following year. LPA makes rail and aircraft electrical connectors. It has taken over Channel Holdings, another electrical connector business for pounds 2.1m in cash and shares. GM say LPA has the muscle to make further acquisitions.

Total Systems, the IT group which has climbed from 30p since the Spring largely on the back of hopes of an MMT Computing bid fell 14.5p to 117.5p. Reason: MMT has sharply reduced its shareholding and now has only 2.6 per cent.

BNB Resources, a recruitment and training group, has risen 14p to 180p this week. The shares still look cheap in relation to other recruitment specialists.