Shares: Taking Stock

CARD CLEAR, which checks credit card payments, has attracted the US financial group GE Capital. It has taken a 9.9 per cent stake, worth around pounds 6.8m. Card Clear shares rose 5p to 55.5p. GE Capital, a unit of General Electric Co of the US, has been on something of a buying spree in this country. Last year it acquired TLS, a truck and commercial vehicle specialist, for pounds 68.2m and paid pounds 118m for Central Transport Rental, the old Tiphook trailer group. It has made no secret of its intention to make further acquisitions.

PACE MICRO, once approaching 250p, rose 7.5p to 74p. The shares of the set-top decoder maker have been on a roll since two directors each acquired 2.8 million shares at 44.5p.

INTERNET Technology is expected to follow this year's forecast pounds 1.8m loss with a pounds 2.3m profit and then make pounds 7.1m by SG Securities; the shares slipped 4p to 58.5p