Lastminute forecasts improved earnings

Shares in online travel group lastminute.com continued to fall today despite the issue of guidance highlighting an improving trend for earnings.

The company, which suffered a heavy decline in its share price following third-quarter results last week, said it expected underlying earnings in the full year of between £26.7m (€40m) and £31.7m (€47.6m). That compares with £15m (€22.5m) in the previous year and should improve to as much as £65m (€97.7m) in 2005.