Shares: Taking Stock

Shares of BBA, the engineer, have under-performed yet, points out stockbroker Greig Middleton, it has little Far Eastern exposure and sterling's strength is often offset. It sees profits improving pounds 12m to pounds 153m last year and reaching pounds 174m this year. The shares were little changed at 418.5p.

Deep Sea Leisure rose 5p to 320p, a high. The shares have climbed from 167.5p in the past three months, prompting predictable stories that a predator is eyeing the group. DSL operates an aquarium in North Queensferry, Scotland, and is near to opening another between Chester and Ellesmere Port.

Nat Solomon, former chief of Pleasurama and Tottenham Hotspur, has become chairman of Ofex-traded Distinctive Leisure, a little pubs group. He has acquired 500,000 shares (1.7 per cent) at 3p. The Ofex price is 2.5p.