HOW BRITAIN'S BIGGEST HAVE PERFORMED

Recovery in Far East markets and a growing expectation that the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee will this week refrain from another interest-rate hike helped leading stocks recover last week.

The FT-SE 100 Index gained 175.8 points over the week, though it closed little changed at 4994.2 on Friday, helped also by encouraging news on inflation in the US. The US economy added jobs at a slower-than-expected pace in August.

On Tuesday, the Government reports the retail price index for August, with prices forecast to rise 0.6 per cent in the month and 3.5 per cent from the year earlier.

Among leading companies reporting half-year earnings next week are building materials group Blue Circle, Charter, the industrial manufacturing company, publisher and broadcaster United News and Media, auction company Christies International Plc and British Aerospace.