Alliance Boots, Barclays, Tesco: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

By Lenka Ponikelska and Sarah Thompson

April 23 (Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are from the April 20 close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index rose 46.2, or 0.72 percent, to 6486.8 in London. The FTSE All-Share Index gained 24.59, or 0.74 percent, to 3369.84.

Ireland's ISEQ Index increased 101.91, or 1 percent, to close at 9703.68.

U.K. Companies:

Alfred McAlpine Plc (MCA LN): The owner of the world's biggest slate quarry said a probe into false accounting found ``extensive and systematic fraud'' at the north Wales site. The shares gained 3.75 pence, or 0.8 percent, to 503.75.

Alliance Boots Plc (AB/ LN): Merrill Lynch & Co., adviser to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., bought a 2 percent stake in Alliance Boots Plc on April 20, the Financial Times reported, without citing anyone.

Separately, the Sunday Express reported that Terra Firma Capital Partners plans to replace the management of Alliance Boots if it buys the company. The shares rose 7.1 percent to 1,125 pence.

AstraZeneca Plc (AZN LN): The maker of the Nexium ulcer medicine agreed to buy U.S. biotechnology company MedImmune Inc. for $15.2 billion in cash to gain flu vaccines and an antiviral medication for babies. The shares increased 35 pence, or 1.2 percent, to 2953.

Aviva Plc (AV/ LN): Patrick Snowball quit as the head of insurer Aviva's U.K. business, the Sunday Telegraph reported, without saying where it got the information. The stock advanced 1.4 percent to 774.5 pence.

Barclays Plc (BARC LN): Britain's third-largest bank agreed to buy ABN Amro Holding NV for 67 billion euros ($91 billion) in the world's biggest-ever financial-services takeover.

The offer amounts to 36.25 euros a share, and includes 3.225 Barclays shares for each share of ABN Amro, the banks said in a statement today. That's 33 percent more than ABN Amro's closing price March 16, the last trading day before talks were announced. Barclays shares rose 12 pence, or 1.6 percent, to 750.

Bodycote International Plc (BOY LN): The U.K. metal- treatment specialist said first-quarter operating margin was up 1 percentage point and that it sees further progress in the remainder of the year. The shares fell 3.5 percent to 307 pence.

BP Plc (BP/ LN): Europe's second-largest oil company probably will report on April 24 that first-quarter profit dropped and production fell for the seventh consecutive period. The shares lost 0.2 percent to 570 pence.

British Airways Plc (BAY LN): Europe's third-largest airline said it may make an offer for Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA with a group of private equity investors. The shares added 4.5 pence, or 0.9 percent, to 514.

BT Group Plc (BT/A LN): The U.K.'s largest phone company agreed to buy network services provider Comsat International for about $100 million to add clients in Latin America, the Financial Times reported, without citing anyone. The stock added 0.5 percent to 314.5 pence.

EMI Group Plc (EMI LN): Warner Music Group Corp. is looking to mount a third bid for EMI, which is valued at 1.8 billion pounds ($3.6 billion), the Sunday Times reported. The shares dropped 0.7 percent to 235 pence.

Henderson Group Plc (HGI LN): Hellman & Friedman LLC, a U.S. buyout firm, is considering a bid for the London- based investment management company, the Sunday Telegraph reported without saying where it obtained the information. The shares rose 1.8 percent to 157.25 pence.

J Sainsbury plc (SBRY LN): The U.K.'s third-largest supermarket company is planning to spend about 750 million pounds ($1.5 billion) a year to expand and refurbish its supermarkets as part of a strategic review, the London- based Sunday Times newspaper reported. The shares rose 0.4 percent to 532 pence.

Lloyds TSB Group plc (LLOY LN): Advent International Corp, a buyout firm, may buy the stock-registration business of Lloyds TSB Group Plc, the Sunday Telegraph reported without saying where it obtained the information. The stock advanced 1 percent to 583 pence.

Marylebone Warwick Balfour Group Plc (MWB LN): Richard Balfour-Lynn, head of Marylebone Warwick Balfour Group, and David Michels are seeking to raise at least 2 billion pounds ($4.01 billion) of equity when they launch Vector Hospitality, a real-estate investment trust this week, the London-based Sunday Times newspaper reported, without citing anyone. The shares rose 1.7 percent to 296 pence.

Prudential Plc (PRU LN): Britain's second-insurer is under pressure from Toscafund Asset Management LLP and other investors to split the U.K. operations from the U.S. and Asian businesses, the Observer newspaper reported, without citing anyone. The stock dropped 0.4 percent to 724 pence.

Peter Hambro Mining Plc (POG LN): Russia's second- biggest gold miner is due to report second-half earnings. The company may say the earnings tripled because of higher bullion prices and production. The shares advanced 1.1 percent to 1175 pence.

Signet Group Plc (SIG LN): The world's largest jewelry retailer may be active. Goldman Sachs & Co. maintained its ``sell'' rating and lowered the 2008 pretax earnins estimate by 9 percent. The shares increased 0.5 pence, or 0.4 percent, to 124.75.

Standard Chartered Plc (STAN LN): The U.K. bank that makes two-thirds of its profit in Asia aims raise as much as $10 billion by 2011 to fund Asian infrastructure and real estate projects, Singapore's Business Times reported, citing the bank's global head of corporate finance, V. Shankar. The stock rose 4 percent to 1528 pence.

Tesco Plc (TSCO LN): The U.K.'s biggest retailer is planning to boost its upscale food ranges to win over affluent customers from rivals Waitrose Ltd. and J Sainsbury Plc, the Observer newspaper reported, without citing anyone. The stock remained unchanged at 463.5 pence.

U.K. Coal Plc (UKC LN): Britain's biggest coal mining company had its property portfolio revalued at 1 billion pounds ($2 billion), the Financial Mail on Sunday reported, citing Jon Lloyd, the company's property director. The shares rose 1.8 percent to 560 pence.

Urals Energy Public Co. (UEN LN): A U.K. based oil and gas exploration and production company with its assets Russia, is due to report earnings. The shares fell 2.5 percent to 390 pence.

Whitbread Plc (WTB LN) : The U.K. owner of the Premier Travel Inn budget lodging chain is interested in buying Jurys Doyle Hotel Group's budget inn business, the Sunday Times reported, without citing anyone. The shares rose 0.3 percent to 1,900 pence.

Irish Companies:

Ryanair Holdings Plc (RYA ID): Europe's biggest discount airline is in talks to lend its name to a new chain of European budget hotels, the London-based Sunday Times said, citing an airline spokesperson. The shares advanced 1.1 percent to 6.33 euros.