Business News in Brief

Shares in computer group DCS jumped 28p to 225.5p yesterday after a leap in profits for the year to June from pounds 610,000 to pounds 2.37m. Earnings per share increased by 66 per cent to 8.31p and the board is recommending a final dividend of 1p, making 1.5p for the year. Robin Lodge, chairman, said: "The three legs of our business are now well established and the integration of the management teams is complete. The current year has begun very well with a strong order book, a well balanced portfolio of products and services and the best list of prospects we have ever enjoyed."

Celsis International, the specialist in rapid microbial testing for the quality assurance market, launched an pounds 11.1m rights issue yesterday to fund the proposed pounds 11.2m acquisition of Lumac, another microbial testing company. At the end of August Lumac had net assets of pounds 2.65m and made profits before tax of pounds 1m in the year to that date. The 3 for 20 cash call is underwritten by Panmure Gordon at 100p a share. Celsis's shares closed 1p lower at 112p.

Stuart Wallis, former chief executive of Fisons, will become chairman of Yorkshire Group from 1 October. He replaces Philip Lowe, who has been chairman since 1987. Michael Greenhalgh, group managing director, said: "Stuart Wallis has a proven track record in the development and implementation of global business strategies. We are especially pleased to have secured his services."

Personal Number Company, which provides a call forwarding service so that individuals or businesses can keep one phone number even if they move, jumped to a big premium on its first day of dealings on the Alternative Investment Market. Placed at 66p, the shares valued the company at pounds 10.2m, well below initial expectations of about pounds 15m. The shares closed at 101.5p.