BP, Taylor Wimpey and Woolworths: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

By Howard Mustoe

Nov. 26 (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 advanced 18.29, or 0.4 percent, to 4171.25. The FTSE All-Share Index rose 0.4 percent, and Ireland’s ISEQ Index gained 0.1 percent.

U.K. companies:

WS Atkins Plc (ATK LN): The U.K.’s biggest engineering- design company announces earnings. Atkins fell 4 pence, or 0.8 percent, to 517 pence.

BP Plc (BP/ LN): Europe’s second-largest oil company by market value may hire Rio Tinto Group Chairman Paul Skinner sooner than expected after BHP Billiton Ltd.’s planned takeover of the mining company collapsed, the Telegraph reported. BP advanced 7.5 pence, or 1.5 percent, to 520.5 pence.

Compass Group Plc (CPG LN): The world’s largest catering company publishes results. Compass rose 6 pence, or 2.4 percent, to 257.5 pence.

De La Rue Plc (DLAR LN): The world’s biggest printer of paper money announces results. De La Rue fell 1.5 pence, or 0.2 percent, to 841.5 pence.

Johnson Matthey Plc (JMAT LN): The maker of a third of all autocatalysts to control vehicle pollution announces earnings. Johnson Matthey declined 26.5 pence, or 3.5 percent, to 722.5 pence.

Mitchells & Butlers Plc (MAB LN): The owner of O’Neill’s pubs and Browns restaurants releases earnings. Mitchells & Butlers advanced 4 pence, or 3 percent, to 138.5 pence.

Qinetiq Plc (QQ/ LN): The U.K.’s largest defense research company announces earnings. Qinetiq rose 12.75 pence, or 7.9 percent, to 174.5 pence.

Taylor Wimpey Plc (TW/ LN): The homebuilder may offer a stake of less than 10 percent to lenders as part of a plan to refinance debt, the Financial Times reported, citing unidentified people close to the situation. Taylor Wimpey fell 2.6 pence, or 37 percent, to 4.4 pence.

United Utilities Group Plc (UU/ LN): The U.K.’s biggest publicly traded water company announces earnings. United Utilities rose 2.5 pence, or 0.4 percent, to 644 pence.

Woolworths Group Plc (WLW LN): The retailer may collapse as soon as today if managers are unable to find money for meeting the company’s monthly wage bill by Nov. 28, the Times reported, without saying where it got the information. Woolworths fell 0.12 penny, or 9 percent, to 1.22 pence.

To contact the reporter on this story: Howard Mustoe in London at hmustoe@bloomberg.net.