Taking Stock

Proteus International rose 8p to 48.5p as interest grew in its BSE detection system. An Irish company has successfully completed a field survey of the development which is aimed at diagnosing the disease in hours and could be used in slaughterhouses. The Dublin Government is keen. There are suggestion that if final tests are successful it will make them mandatory and press for adoption across Europe. Like most biotech groups Proteus, with close links to ML Laboratories, has had an erratic ride. It shares nearly hit 400p in 1994.

Tradepoint, the stock market in miniature which was expected to boom with the advent of order driven trading, fell 7.5p to 65p. The shares touched 148.5p as the new order arrived and Tradepoint benefited from a cash injection.