PRESS DIGEST - Financial Times - Oct 15

ITV HITS JACKPOT ON RUGBY PUNT

Jim McDonald, head of broadcast at the media planning agency MPG, has estimated that England's Jonny Wilkinson-inspired victory over France in Saturday night's Rugby World Cup semi final has already boosted ITV's (ITV.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) income by about two million pounds. McDonald estimated ITV could potentially make between five million pounds and six million pounds in the additional value of airtime. ITV is poised to enjoy spectacular sporting success next weekend, regardless of results, as the Rugby World Cup and Formula One's Grand Prix seasons reach their climax in Paris and Sao Paolo respectively. Both competitions have UK participants on the verge of victory.

HOUSE PRICES BOUNCE BACK

Figures from Rightmove (RMV.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the property website, showed house prices rebounded 2.7 percent during September, more than wiping out the fall in August. Rightmove said the gain during the four weeks to Oct. 6 was the strongest for six months and helped push the average price of a home in England and Wales up to 241,642 pounds. But the property website said the housing market was showing signs of a slowdown despite the recovery.