The robust mood of yesterdays trading was less in evidence on the stock market today despite another strong performance on Wall Street overnight where the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up almost 110 points.
The FTSE-100 Index took a more cautious stance as Thursdays interest rate decision from the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee came closer.
The index was up 17.4 to 6429.4 a few minutes after the open.
Profits ahead of expectations at transport group Stagecoach drove shares up 7p to 220p.
Computer company Viglen unveiled a partnership agreement with Microsoft to set up computer training centres for teachers. The link-up with the US software giant boosted Viglen shares up 3p to 35.5p.
First Choice Holidays, facing a hostile takeover bid by rival Airtours, announced its full year profits would be slightly below forecasts, but the market was unconcerned and shares in the holiday group rose p to 204p.
Vodafone, which is expected to release an extremely upbeat set of results later today inched ahead 8p to £12.90.
And United Assurance said it was cutting 160 head office jobs as part of its business overhaul also edged up 1p to 431.5p as the market welcomed more signs of decisive action at the company.
PA News 08/06/99
