TAKING STOCK

r John Mayo, the Zeneca director whose brief covers finance, insurance and information technology, yesterday took advantage of the growing strength of the company's share price. He pocketed a tidy sum of pounds 119,000 from the disposal of 10,000 shares at pounds 11.90 each. The sale cut his total holding to 11,504. Zeneca's shares closed a penny higher at pounds 11.93.

r There was an industry rumour yesterday that trading at the recently floated Media Business Group was going much better than expected. The company, which specialises in buying advertising space, is due to report its maiden interim results in December. The figures, according to industry sources, could lead to analysts upgrading full year expectations of pounds 1m before tax by as much as 20 per cent. Shares trade at 3.75p.