| Competition The UK-Analyst Friday Competition is back! For your chance to win a copy of Shares Made Simple by Rodney Hobson (Second edition) send your funniest caption for the picture below to richard.gill@t1ps.com by 9am on Monday morning. 
The Markets Global equities were lower on Friday as rumours leaked from China that the government would keep a firm grip on the real estate market to prevent another housing boom. Meanwhile, news that Eurozone finance ministers approved a 100 billion euro Spanish bank bailout package, and a comment by treasury minister Cristobal Montoro that the country's recession would continue into 2013, sent the government's 10 year bond yield to a record 7.3% and pushed the IBEX 35 - the Spanish equivalent of the FTSE 100 - almost 6% lower. In the UK it was reported that public borrowing in June came in one billion pounds higher than expected at 14.4 billion pounds, leading some to question whether the deficit reduction target for this year can be met. The Treasury shrugged off the figure, commented "it is too early in the financial year to draw conclusions about the year as a whole".  At the London close the Dow Jones was down by 95.68 points at 12,848.68 and the Nasdaq was down by 21.99 points at 2,633.84.
In London the FTSE 100 fell by 62.42 points to 5,651.77; the FTSE 250 finished 73.65 points behind at 11,168.85; the FTSE All-Share slipped by 29.63 points to 2,936.00; and the FTSE AIM Index gained 0.32 points to 686.23.  Broker Notes Panmure Gordon has stuck with its "sell" recommendation and 350p target price on fast-food group Domino's Pizza (DOM) ahead of interim results for the half to June next month, viewing its 24.6 times earnings multiple as too expensive. With competitive pressures increasing from Pizza Hut, Papa John;s and just-eat.co.uk as well as a 50% surge in wheat prices in the last five weeks, the broker believes the shares will soon be under some pressure. Domino's shares slipped 5p to 519p. Homeserve (HSV) is still a "hold" in the eyes of Seymour Pierce, the broker commenting that trading at the home insurance and emergency repair business remains in line with expectations with customer number and retention targets on track. The shares trade on a prospective 2013 earnings multiple of 7.6 times, a fair valuation the broker believes considering continued investigations by the Financial Services Authority amid the mis-selling of policies. This investigation is also the reason why Seymour Pierce has played down the rumour that the company is being preyed upon by a private equity firm. Homeserve shares climbed 6.6p to 195p.  Daniel Stewart maintained its "buy" stance and 202p target price on Greenko Group (GKO) despite the renewable energy firm exposing some weaknesses in its 2012 financial results earlier this week, noting "Greenko remains our pick in the Indian renewables sector". The broker admires the company's focus on developing high quality wind assets, which differs from India's existing wind capacity which it believes has been constructed for tax reasons. Daniel Stewart feels the recent share price weakness provides an attractive entry point for new investors. Greenko shares rose by 1.5p to 109.5p. Blue-Chips Telecommunications giant Vodafone (VOD) looks to be feeling the strain of the global economic slowdown, reporting a 7.7% slide in group revenues to 10.77 billion pounds for the three months to June. The firm was also hit by an unfavourable move in exchange rates and new regulation on roaming charges which will limited the amount that it can bill customers for using their phones overseas. Vodafone also felt the pain of the Eurozone crisis, with sales from Italy and Spain plunging 15.5% and 17.8% respectively. Vodafone shares slipped 3.05p to 180p. Anglo American (AAL) saw some impressive volume growth across its production portfolio over the three months to June, seeing solid increases in iron, coal, copper and nickel output. A ramp-up at the Kolomela mine and production improvements at Amapa helped the natural resources firm generate a 12% climb in iron ore output to 12.9 million tonnes, while coal output surged by 23% on production improvements from its South African and Colombian assets. The only materials to see production falls were platinum, down 3%, and diamonds, down 11%. Anglo shares closed 6.5p lower at 2,028.5p.  BG Group (BG.) and its joint-venture partners have agreed to begin the development of the Santos Basin projects off-shore Brazil, the natural gas business has confirmed. The deal, valued at 4.5 billion dollars, will see the construction of six topside modules and integration packages for the eight floating production, storage and off loading units to be used at the BM-S-9 and BM-S-11 blocks. The contracts for the two remaining topside modules and integration packages are expected to be awarded within the next 18 months. The firm's shares inched 0.5p lower to 1,289.5p. Mid-Caps Aegis Group (AGS), the media and digital communications group has announced it is to acquire Asian marketing and media agency Catch Stone for 55.2 million pounds. The target offers digital media planning and buying as well as a range of digital marketing services across China, and will leave Aegis with a significantly increased footprint in the country. For the year to December 2011, Catch Stone generated a pre-tax profit of 8.1 million pounds and had net assets of 37.7 million pounds. Aegis shares climbed 0.1p to 235.9p. Real estate investment business London and Stamford Property (LSP) provided an update on trading from 1st April to date, unveiling a number of new initiatives including a 200 million pound central London residential joint venture with Green Park Investments. The firm has also entered a joint-venture for a 149 apartment property in SW1 for 147 million pounds and acquired two office buildings in Leatherhead and Marlow for 111.3 million pounds. Management commented that with a number of properties close to being realised, London and Stamford has a projected future firepower in excess of 600 million pounds. London and Stamford shares rose 0.9p to 112.5p. Overall performance at asset management firm Close Brothers Group (CGB) for the five months to June continued to be weighed down by difficult trading conditions at its securities division Winterflood, which was hit by low retail investor risk appetite. The restructuring of its asset management arm is nearing completion the company reported, making a small loss for the period as expected. The group's banking arm performed well however, its loan book increasing by a further 10% to 4.1 billion pounds following strong growth in motor finance, asset finance and mortgages. The company's shares rose 3p to 761p.  Small Caps, AIM and PLUS Textile business Dawson International (DWSN) reported that discussions with the pension protection fund (PPF) to seek a negotiated entry of its UK defined benefit pension plans into the PPF have been unsuccessful. Dawson has tried for many years to reduce the pension deficit on its plans, making a contribution of 2.2 million pounds last year alone, however changes in actuarial assumptions have seen the deficit widen. Without approval Dawson added, the group would be forced to find a new owner, and if this were to fail administrators would be appointed. Dawson shares plummeted by 0.525p to 0.625p. Shares in BlueStar SecuTech (BSST) collapsed by 3.125p to 6.625p as the security firm posted an 87% plunge in pre-tax profits to 500,000 pounds on the back of a 17% drop in revenue to 17.6 million pounds and a significant increase in its bad debt provision. The company said the single biggest reason for its performance was the effect of the recent financial downturn on business confidence. Management added that despite continuing to win new contracts and new clients, it believes the 2013 financial year will be just as challenging as 2012. News that gift voucher firm Park Group (PKG) had reached an agreement with US based Giftango Corporation to significantly expand its digital gift cards offering sent shares in the company 1.25p higher to 51p. Building on Park's successfully flexecash prepaid cards, the flex e-gift digital gift card will be rolled out across it's 6,000 strong corporate client base, and will allow the product to be delivered via email and SMS on smart phones.  A trading update for the six months to June from Hasgrove (HGV) conveyed a period of progression, the communication services group reporting a six-fold increase in pre-tax profits to 700,000 pounds as sales climbed 16% to 9 million pounds and no exceptional costs were realised. New business activity led top line growth, with a number of pan-European clients added from the e-commerce sector and intranet business Interact recording its highest ever figure for new business sales in the US. Hasgrove shares closed 1.5p higher at 35p. Shares in Goals Soccer Centres (GOAL) jumped by 13.5p to 148.5p after the firm recommended a 144p per share cash offer from Goliath, a company controlled by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board. The deal values Goals at 73.1 million pounds and is a premium of 34% to the share price the day before the company first entered into an offer period back in March. CEO Keith Rogers should be over the moon if the deal goes through, as he will enjoy a 47% salary increase to 235,690 pounds, with the other directors also enjoying significant pay hikes. Rogers also has an 8.4% stake in the business, giving him a 5.89 million pound windfall. But the saga may not be over yet. Private equity firm Patron Capital, which owns rival 5-a-side centre business Powerleague, announced earlier in July that it was considering making a bid for Goals. Patron responded to the agreed offer by saying it is still considering its options and urged Goals shareholders to take no action. A merger of Goals and Powerleague would create a business with a circa 87% market share of the UK branded 5-a-side football market. Richard Gill, lead analyst and top tipster at ShareCrazy.com, has long recognised the value in Goals, recommending the shares last September when they were trading around the 100p mark. To watch Richard's latest video Tip of the Month, just released today, CLICK HERE. | 
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