PRESS DIGEST - Financial Times - Sept 5 =5
SCi Entertainment SEG.L added 12 percent to the 15 percent gain it made on Monday after confirming that it was holding preliminary discussions, traders having suggested that France's Ubisoft could be the suitor. Ubisoft (UBIP.PA), however, refused to comment on the speculation, saying instead that: "We talk to everyone in the market". SCi, which was in 2005 the subject of two failed takeover approaches from unnamed parties, would require the permission of 10.2 percent shareholder Time Warner (TWX.N) for any deal to proceed.
BLUE OAR SUFFERS ON RULE CHANGES
Stockbroker Blue Oar BLUE.L posted a pre-tax profit in the six months to June 30 that fell from 1.2 million pounds to 986,000 pounds -- the result of accounting rule changes and a decline in some of its investments, which offset earnings growth in its private client unit. Chief executive Andrew Monk said that the group has hitherto suffered no noticeable impact from the credit crunch, explaining: "We've started roadshows this week and so far investors are agreeing to see us and there is no obvious effect on our prospects." Analysts put underlying profits at two million pounds, when excluding the impact from rule changes.
Prepared for Reuters by Durrants
