A strong session for taxpayer-owned banks helped keep London’s blue-chip share index in positive territory today.

Music group Chrysalis today got a boost from renewed interest in The Beatles and Michael Jackson as it said annual results were set to beat expectations.

Takeover rumours in the property sector kept the FTSE 100 Index in positive territory today as commodity stocks also gave the top tier a boost.

Chrysalis today said a string of upcoming releases from artists David Gray, Gnarls Barkley and Feeder would help offset a “weak” first half for the music group.

Music label EMI signalled a further sharp decline in the popularity of the traditional CD today as it said revenues from the format had dropped by nearly a fifth.

Private equity firm Apax has made a £1.3bn (€2bn) approach for a major slice of magazines and radio group Emap, it was reported today.

Radio stations including Heart and Galaxy were sold for £170m (€253m) today in a deal involving former ITV chief executive Charles Allen.

THE Irish exchange was in negative territory yesterday. The ISEQ Index dropped 47 points to 9,596.

An investment group backed by Irish tycoons JP McManus and John Magnier was today reported to be in talks to buy Chrysalis’s radio arm for up to £180m (€267m).

Property companies helped lift the London market today, with real estate investment trust Hammerson setting the pace after takeover speculation.

The boss of UK music publishing and radio group Chrysalis is today understood to be considering the possibility of a management buyout of the firm’s radio business if private equity backing can be secured.

Shares in media group Emap were sharply lower today after it warned the City that annual profits were likely to come in at the bottom end of hopes.

The London market enjoyed a bullish session today as record results from Royal Dutch Shell and bumper earnings figures from AstraZeneca and Rio Tinto pushed blue-chip stocks ahead.

London’s leading shares were on the front foot today led forward by stronger financial stocks and the miners on the back of rising copper prices.

British pop star Robbie Williams is being sued for £300,000 (€444,000) after his former Take That manager objected to lyrics on his new song The Nineties.

Media group Chrysalis suggested today it may have turned the corner after a tough year saw it slump nearly £30m (€44.6m) into the red.

British media group Chrysalis offloaded its books division today by sealing a £12.5m (€18.5m) deal with managers of the loss-making business.

The FTSE 100 Index ended the week above the 5400 threshold for the first time in four years as bid speculation showed no sign of quietening down.

The FTSE 100 Index broke through the 5400 barrier this morning as the takeover spotlight fell on the insurance and telecoms sector.

UK media group Chrysalis today said listeners defected from its radio arm in the final quarter of 2004, but claimed the worst of a downturn in advertising was over.

Fresh signs of volatility in the radio advertising market took the gloss off a sharp improvement in annual results at British media group Chrysalis today.

The London market held on to its new-found confidence today as the FTSE 100 Index broke through the 4800 barrier to set a new 29-month high.

London shares were heading for their heaviest fall in more than a month today after world markets came under heavy pressure overnight.

Media group Chrysalis hit the right note with investors today after growing radio revenues by 20% since March.

Early hopes that the FTSE 100 Index could end the month clear of the 4200 level had evaporated by the time trading closed today – more than 66 points off its morning high.

London’s leading shares looked set for a gloomy end to the week today after surrendering early gains.

London’s FTSE 100 Index gave back early gains today as the top flight once more settled near the 4200 mark.

Worries over economic prospects on both sides of the Atlantic sent London shares lower for a second successive session today.

Worldwide advertising giant WPP today said revenues fell by 4% in the first quarter of 2003 despite winning net new business billings of £410m (€593m).

A lacklustre session ended on the back foot today as the FTSE 100 Index failed to break past the 4200 mark.

THE London market plunged to its lowest close for eight weeks yesterday as gloomy sentiment around the world hit home.

The London market plunged to its lowest close for eight weeks today as gloomy sentiment around the world hit home.

FTSE 100 risers and fallers listed.

UK Multimedia company Chrysalis have announced half-year pre-tax profits of £600,000 (€945,000).

The FTSE 100 Index was up 29.1 at 5149 after an hour's trading.

A British High Court judge is to hand down his judgment on a demand for "punitive" damages against Robbie Williams.

Robbie Williams faces a demand for punitive damages after a court ruled he copied a Woodie Guthrie song.