Shares: Taking Stock

MDIS (McDonnell Information Systems) climbed to its highest for more than a year, rising 5p to 54p. It has an appalling record. Floated at 260p four years ago it made heavy losses in 1995 and 1996. Since then new management has arrived and a pounds 24.3m rescue cash call completed. Last year's figures are due soon and hopes are growing they will demonstrate MDIS is at last on the mend.

Keller, a foundation and ground strengthening group which worked on the controversial Millennium Dome, lifted profits for the tenth year running, scoring a 10 per cent gain to pounds 13.8m. Sterling's strength cost some pounds 1m. Profits this year should be around pounds 16m. The shares, floated at 130p in 1994, rose 11p to 226.5p.

Philippine Gold, up 1p at 23.5p, is described as a "highly attractive package of gold mining assets", by stockbroker T Hoare & Co. which regards the shares as a speculative buy.