Legal & General, Ashmore, Britvic: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

By Kevin Crowley and

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual price changes in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are from the last market close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index dropped 314.62, or 7.2 percent, to 4,079.59. The FTSE All-Share Index fell 6.9 percent, and Ireland's ISEQ Index reduced 6.4 percent.

U.K. companies:

Ashmore Group Plc (ASHM LN): The London-based money manager that focuses on emerging markets, is due to issue a trading statement. The shares dropped 2.5 pence, or 1.5 percent, to 161 pence.

Aggreko Plc (AGK LN): The world's largest provider of mobile generators is scheduled to publish a trading statement. Shares in the Glasgow, Scotland-based company fell 30 pence, or 7 percent, to 400 pence.

Britvic Plc (BVIC LN): The U.K. bottler for PepsiCo Inc. soft drinks is due to issue a trading statement. The Chelmsford, England-based company had its price estimate cut to 280 pence from 350 pence at UBS AG on Oct. 10. The shares fell 16.75 pence, or 8.9 percent, to 172 pence.

Legal & General Group Plc (LGEN LN): The U.K.'s third- largest insurer may say global life, pension and savings sales for the first nine months of the year rose 3.7 percent to 1.13 billion pounds ($1.9 billion) from 1.09 billion pounds a year earlier. The stock fell 10.2 pence, or 12.4 percent, to 71.8 pence.

Travis Perkins Plc (TPK LN): The U.K. building-materials distributor is scheduled to issue a trading update. The Northampton-based company will breach loan agreements if it doesn't raise funds or renegotiate debt, analysts at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc said Oct. 10, cutting its rating to ``sell.'' The shares fell 62 pence, or 11.4 percent, to 481 pence.

Smiths News Plc (NWS LN): The U.K. magazine and newspaper wholesaler formed from the split of W.H. Smith Plc in 2006 is scheduled to report earnings. The shares were unchanged at 74 pence.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kevin Crowley in London kcrowley1@bloomberg.net