Jessops was among the day’s speculative features, amid fresh gossip that a buyout firm may put the camera retailer’s shareholders out of their misery.

The shares rose 3p to 20p, breaking a three-day losing streak, as traders said that it was a plausible candidate for a turnaround specialist. After a string of profit warnings, Jessops stands at about 0.2 times this year’s sales projections, putting it on the radar of value investors. However, with zero earnings visibility and working capital requirements likely to exceed debt this year, few dealers were confident of a happy outcome.

Imperial Energy sank £2.95 to £11.50 after it became the latest victim of Oleg Mitvol, the crusading deputy head of Russia’s environmental regulator, who has pursued companies including Shell and TNK-BP.

Shareholders were hoping for a repeat of what happened to Peter Hambro Mining, which touched a low of 777p in December in reaction to threats from Mr Mitoval that eventually blew over. The gold-miner rose 43p at £11.63 yesterday as Cazenove repeated an “outperform” rating and Canna-cord Adams raised forecasts ahead of results on Monday.

Umbro was up 1¼p to 176¼p as Apax Partners’ advances on adidas revived sector consolidation hopes. Shares in the football kit maker were helped by “buy” ratings from Dresdner Kleinwort and KBC Peel Hunt.

Palm oil producers gained in tandem with futures prices, at their highest in more than eight years on the back of demand from biofuel makers and food companies shunning unhealthy trans fats. MP Evans was up 3½p to 323½p and REA Holdings advanced 3¼p to 476p.

The DVD retailer Choices-UK halved to 22½p after warning on profits two weeks after its interim results. Dealers said that the group may need a fundraising to keep trading through Christmas.

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