PRESS DIGEST - Financial Times - March 8 =9

Shares in Hot Tuna (HTT.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the Aim-listed surfwear company, announced interim losses that were worse than expected and blamed a series of setbacks for the shortfall. Hot Tuna blamed an "extremely challenging trading environment" and bad weather for the performance, as well as problems in the supply chain and a botched US rebrand. Operating losses rose to 1.65 million pounds from 1.56 million pounds, in spite of sales that increased from 183,000 pounds to 445,000 pounds. Seymour Pierce, the company's broker, no longer expects Hot Tuna to break even in 2009 and lifted its full-year pre-tax loss forecast from 1 million pounds to 2.8 million pounds. The shares, which floated at 59 pence in September 2005, dropped 0.13 pence to 1.25 pence.

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants