Three of this year’s best performing stocks — easyJet, Booker, and Domino’s Pizza — will post updates this week in what should be a quiet post-Easter period for corporate news.

Irish exploration firms Providence Resources, Fastnet, and Tullow have all received strong “buy” recommendations.

Dairy Crest Group is looking to sell its French branded spreads business, St Hubert, in a deal that analysts expect will fetch the dairy foods company about €360m.

Investors in London and Dublin stock markets have reacted very positively to drilling results issued yesterday by exploration company Providence Resources.

Robinsons and Tango firm Britvic has reported improved sales growth after UK consumers bought more soft drinks for the home in the run-up to Christmas.

Struggling tour operator Thomas Cook has reportedly suffered a near 33% slump in summer bookings as its financial woes deter already cash-strapped holidaymakers.

CLOTHES retailer Next has warned that sales and profit growth in the next year would be modest, citing concerns over the eurozone debt crisis, a credit squeeze and rising unemployment.

A surge in revenues from gaming machines today helped betting firm Ladbrokes offset the impact of the UK's August riots and unfavourable horse racing results.

NEWSPAPER group Johnston Press has upped the “carrying value” of its titles in the Republic from €13 million at the end of July 2010 to €31m at the end of July 2011.

Brewing giant SABMiller today confirmed it will open its new £3m research brewery in Nottingham next month as it tries to reduce the amount of water required to make a pint of beer.

Mining stocks held the FTSE 100 Index above the 6000 barrier today as copper prices hit a record high.

City heavyweights AstraZeneca and BSkyB will kick off the blue-chip results season in the UK this week, but the major focus will be on figures detailing the performance of the UK economy in the final three months of 2010.

Low-cost airline easyJet celebrated a near-trebling in profits today by announcing plans for its first-ever dividend payment to shareholders.

The FTSE 100 Index leapt ahead today after US employers shed fewer jobs than feared in August.

Stocks soared on both sides of the Atlantic today in a welcome rally spurred on by a strong start to the second-quarter earnings season.

Further signs of progress on BP’s attempts to plug the oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico drove a fresh surge in the company’s shares today.

A clearer picture on consumer spending may emerge this week as firms including Diageo are among those due to issue updates.

Italian restaurant chain Carluccio’s today said recent trading had been better than expected despite “challenging” conditions denting profits.

About 300 jobs are set to be axed at two Fox’s Biscuits factories in northern England, it was announced today.

US food giant Kraft has said it hopes to keep open Cadbury's Somerdale facility near Bristol in England, which is scheduled to close in early 2010, saying it will remain "financially disciplined" in its £10.2bn (€11.6bn) pursuit of the chocolate maker.

PROFITS at Irish food company Greencore were hit by a fall in the value of sterling, but the company remains on track to expand in the US.

The beleaguered London market took another hammering today as a late sell-off left the FTSE 100 Index down another 3% at a fresh six-year low.

The FTSE 100 Index continued its slide today after hitting a six-year low yesterday on fears regarding the health of heavyweight financial firms.

Clothing chain Ted Baker was hit by profit downgrades today after sales for the 13 weeks to the start of November came in lower than expectations.

Engines giant Rolls-Royce reassured investors today by revealing it had secured £5bn (€6.32bn) of new orders since the end of June.

Internet gambling firm PartyGaming today blamed the distraction of the Euro 2008 football championships for a recent dip in trade.

Dairy Milk maker Cadbury today said higher prices left it on course to beat targets for the first six months of the year.

UK sofa chain ScS Upholstery is set to slump to an annual loss after it today revealed worse-than-expected trading over the crucial bank holiday weekend.

BAE Systems is to come under further scrutiny over its dealings with Saudi Arabia after the defence group confirmed today it was being investigated by the US Department of Justice.

Marks & Spencer’s admission of interest in a potential bid for Sainsbury’s could press the retailer’s private equity suitors into tabling a firm offer for the company, a leading retail analyst said today.

Gaming company 888 Holdings was facing more questions over its overseas operations today after it emerged French authorities wanted to interview its former chief executive John Anderson.

At the end of a fractious week in the media industry, ITV is still rudderless, BSkyB almost £1bn (€1.47bn) poorer and NTL in a state of limbo.

An uncertain final session before Easter today saw the FTSE 100 Index sink below 6000 before recovering with strong gains from Vodafone and Rolls-Royce.

Investors lifted Rolls-Royce shares by more than 2% today after welcoming plans by the engines giant to tackle its £1.28 billion pensions deficit.

Sugar group Tate & Lyle today said its flagship sweetener was helping ward off problems in other parts of its business as it reported continued good trading.

The London market broke back through the 5000 barrier today as high crude prices kept oil majors in the pink.

Granada and Carlton Communications have ended talks to merge.