RAMSEY CROOKALL & CO

EVENING REPORT

24 SEPTEMBER 2010

Stocks rose to the highest levels of the day, reversing earlier declines, after orders for durable goods increased at twice the pace forecast by economists. Bookings for goods like computers and communications equipment climbed 4.1% after a 5.3% decline in July that was smaller than previously estimated, figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington.

Rolls Royce advanced 15p to 590p. Amec plc, the UK – based energy- engineering company that made 24% of sales in the US last year, gained 20p to 994p. Arm rallied 6.3% to 415½p amid speculation that Oracle Corp. may be

Oracle, building on a run of more than 65 acquisitions during the last five years, wants to purchase semiconductor companies and makers of industry-specific software, Chief Executive Officer Larry Ellison said yesterday.

And HSBC Holdings gained 2p to 668p after Europe’s largest bank was said to have appointed Stuart Gulliver, its current head of investment banking as its new chief executive officer. Michael Geoghegan, 56, will step down at the end of the year. Chairman Stephen Green, who resigned this month to become Britain’s trade minister is likely to be replaced by Finance Director Douglas Flint.

THE FTSE 100 CLOSED UP 51 @ 55398

THE DOW JONES AT 4.30 IS UP 170 @ 10,833

THE NASDAQ COMP AT 4.30 IS UP 45 @ 2372

Exchange Rates

GBP – USD 1. 5827 GBP – EUR 1. 75

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